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SCOUT MASTER ROBERT SHALER 


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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 


I 









THE BOY SCOUTS 


OF THE 

GEOLOGICAL 

SURVEY 


BY 

SCOUT MASTER ROBERT SHALER 

AUTHOR OF “the BOY SCOUTS OF THE SIGNAL CORPS,” “THE BOY 
SCOUTS OF PIONEER CAMP,” ETC., ETC. 


NEW YORK 

HURST & COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 



Cop 3 rright, 1914, 


BY 

HURST & COMPANY 





733 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. The Golden Feather . 

(•j 

PAGE 

5 

II. 

A Timely Suggestion . . 


r.i 20 

III. 

The Combat on the Cliff . 


• 34 

IV. 

A Night in the Woods . 


. 48 

V. 

Friends at the Farm 


. 62 

VI. 

A Nocturnal Visitor 


.*■ 74 

VII. 

Boy Scout Detectives 


. 84 

VIII. 

The Surveying Squad 


. 98 

IX. 

Awaiting a Decision 


. no 

X. 

Camp Life 



XI. 

The New Project 


. 130 

XII. 

An Illustrious Example 


. 142 

XIII. 

The Result of the Surveys 


. 150 






• w 




The Boy Scouts of the 
Geological Survey. 

CHAPTER I. 

THE GOIvDEN FEATHER. 

'‘This was a pretty fair catch, for a change,’’ 
thought Ralph Kenyon, as he tied the limp 
animal to his pack-saddle, and reset the trap, 
hoping next time to catch the dead mink’s 
larger mate. He ran a quick, appraising eye 
over the load slung across Keno’s broad back. 
“Pretty good, eh, old boy?” he added aloud, 
stroking the velvety nose of his dumb com- 
panion on many a solitary hunt. “Now, Keno, 
you hang around, and browse on these young 
cottonwoods, while I do some figuring. I want 
to see what I’m likely to get for this next stiip- 
ment of pelts.” 


5 


6 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

The old horse, nothing loath, obeyed his 
young master's behest as promptly as though 
he had fully understood the words. Mean- 
while, Ralph found a mossy spot on the shady 
side of a big gray, lichen-covered boulder, and, 
seating himself thereon, with his back com- 
fortably adjusted to a depression in the rock, 
he drew a worn account book from a pocket 
of his corduroy coat. Moistening his thumb 
he began to turn the pages rapidly, until he 
came to the place where he had made the last 
entry in his accounts. With a stubby pencil, 
which he had taken from another pocket, he 
jotted down the new items: 

‘‘So far, one mink, six coon, three skunk, 
a gray fox, and seventeen rabbit skins. All 
told it ought to bring — let me see." He re- 
lapsed into silence, as he estimated the total, 
and then he sighed deeply. ‘'Not very much," 
was his inward comment ; “not anywhere near 
enough !" 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 7 

Ralph felt that it was high time that he 
brought to a close his season’s operations with 
trap and gun. The spring was unusually early 
this year, and the fallow truck patches were 
fairly clamoring for his attention. Yet he 
was reluctant to abandon his winter pursuit 
of pelts and to return to the sterner and less 
thrilling labor of ploughing and planting and 
peddling vegetables. 

Not that he was averse to hard work — far 
from it! Ralph Kenyon was as industrious, 
energetic, and sensible a young fellow as one 
would wish to know; yet, being a very aver- 
age, normal lad, and at that age when love of 
freedom and adventure is foremost, be natur- 
ally preferred the varied life of a huntsman 
and trapper — even though his field of activity 
was not extensive — to the moiling occupation 
of a market gardener. 

On the other hand, there were times when 
he thoroughly enjoyed the labor of wresting 


8 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

a livelihood from the soil, and he took pride 
in raising the choicest products that could be 
offered for sale. Such spells were most fre- 
quent in midsummer, when all nature was in 
a placid mood for growth ; but in autumn and 
spring came livelier hopes and a stronger call 
to this lad, and in his own way he set about 
accomplishing the chief aim of his life, the 
great end to which these winter pursuits were 
but a means. 

After the death of his father, which had 
occurred less than a month after his gradu- 
ation from High School, Ralph had taken the 
responsibility of the small farm upon his eigh- 
teen-year-old shoulders, bravely putting aside 
his cherished plans for a course in the School 
of Mines until he could save the necessary 
funds from his individual earnings. That 
was a year ago. In the interval he had found 
an opportunity to study the principles of sur- 
veying, and for two weeks he had acted as 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 9 


guide to a party of university students doing 
research work in his native hills. For this 
service he had been paid twenty-five dollars — 
which had been promptly banked as a nucleus 
of his college fund. 

How simple and easy it had seemed, earning 
his way through the School of Mines, while 
talking with those enthusiastic young collegi- 
ans and their professor! How well he re- 
membered the things they had said, the ad- 
vice they had given him! Yet now, after 
eight months of hard work, constant hunting 
in the woods, and rigid economy, he seemed 
no nearer the goal than he had been when 
the portals of High School closed behind him 
forever. In fact, just as he was now placed 
in his prospects he faced a bitter discourage- 
ment; he was on the threshold of a new calam- 
ity. 

His mother, who took in fine sewing, had 
developed a serious eye trouble that threat- 


10 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


ened to put an end to her earning power, and 
to leave her totally blind unless she submitted 
to a very delicate operation within a few 
weeks. Of course, his mother^s welfare was 
stronger than any other consideration with 
Ralph, but he had a vague idea that operations 
cost a great deal of money. At least, he had 
been told so by his nearest neighbor, Tom 
Walsh, a farmer who lived several miles from 
the town of Oakvale, which was the station 
from whence he would have to take his mother 
by train to New York. A day's journey, a 
week or more in the hospital, and incidental 
expenses — even with the aid of his precious 
hoard and the inadequate sum these furs 
would bring him — how could he ever raise 
enough to help her, in time? 

With another deep sigh, he replaced the 
worn account book, and rested his head against 
the mossy hollow in the stone, gazing dis- 
consolately up through the branches of the 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 11 


trees at the jagged cliffs that towered high 
above the mountain trail. For a while, noth- 
ing was heard in ravine or glade save the 
brawling of the crystal-clear brook that went 
dashing and tumbling over the stones of its 
rough bed, in a mad race to its fall of twenty 
feet or more, or the crunching of succulent 
twigs and leaves of cottonwood, or the snap- 
ping of dead wood, as old Keno moved leisurely 
about from one spot to another. 

Side by side, on a jutting crag that leaned 
far out over the brook, sat a splendid pair of 
golden eagles, joyously preening their plumage 
in the spring sunshine. The birds aroused no 
special interest in Ralph’s mind, however, on 
this particular morning; he had seen them 
many times before, while rambling over the 
mountains with his father. But the sight of 
their glittering napes awakened memories of 
that loved and admired man. 

‘^Dad used to say — and I guess he believed 


12 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
it, too — that iron in paying quantities lies just 
beneath the stones of our little farm/’ mused 
Ralph. “We might become rich, mother and 
I, if we could only get money enough to open 
up our mine.” 

One of the eagles, rare birds in that part 
of the country, evidently alarmed or annoyed 
at the approach of some intruder on their do- 
main, some animal or human being unseen by 
Ralph, thrust out its head, opened its beak, 
and uttered a harsh shrill cry; at which its 
mate walked forward to the very edge of the 
crag, poised there for an instant, and then, 
spreading wide wings, launched itself into the 
air and sailed swiftly out of sight. It re- 
turned, however, in a few minutes and re- 
joined its mate on the ledge of rock. 

“Old King Eagle,” called Ralph, whimsi- 
cally, knowing well that his voice would not 
carry above the roar of the brook, “I wish 
you’d tell me where you get all your gold! 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 13 


I believe Fd go digging with my finger-nails 
this morning if I only knew where to begin 

As if in answer to his appeal, one golden 
feather drifted down and lay glittering iri- 
descently among the pebbles at his feet. 

The lad sprang up with a laugh ; then, going 
down on his knees, he began to dig at the 
exact spot on which the feather fell. Imagi- 
nation had carried him for the moment to a 
point of almost superstitious energy. But the 
spell passed quickly. With a scornful laugh, 
he straightened his lanky form to its full 
height. 

‘'Gee!’’ he exclaimed aloud. ‘T never sup- 
posed I could be such a fool!” 

A low laugh sounded behind him, startlingly 
near, and, turning to glance over his shoulder, 
he beheld a tall, lean, swarthy young man 
dressed in a faded and soiled brown suit, with 
a soft felt hat pulled down over his eyes, and 
leggings like those often worn by woodsmen. 


14 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'‘Seven kinds of a young fool, eh?"' re- 
marked the stranger, shifting a long-handled 
axe and a heavy wooden mallet which he car- 
ried from his shoulder to the ground. "Well, 
you ain’t no fool, boy, an’ I know it, an’ that’s 
why I follered you up this trail. I want ter 
have a little confab with you to-day. Know 
who I am?” 

"No, I don’t know you,” Ralph replied 
truthfully, "and I can’t guess how you knew 
I was up here in the hills.” 

"Your ma told me. I stopped at your shack, 
about two hours ago, an’ she told me you was 
out lookin’ after your traps. Any luck?” 

"Not much.” Ralph did not wish the man 
to observe either the location of the traps or 
the valuable mink that dangled from Keno’s 
saddle. "What did you want to see me for?” 
he queried, after a minute’s paufee, during 
which he eyed the woodsman quizzically. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 15 


‘‘You’re Ralph Kenyon, ain’t you?” asked 
the other, evidently in some doubt. 

“Yes. Who are you?” 

There was a blunt directness in Ralph’s 
questions that seemed to disconcert the man 
who had expected to meet a rather shy, im- 
mature lad — certainly not one who bore him- 
self with an air of calm self-possession and 
who wasted no words. He gave another low 
laugh that ended in a chuckle, and replied 
briefly : 

“My name’s Bill — Bill Terrill — perhaps 
you’ve heard tell o’ me? I’m Old Man Walsh’s 
nevvy, your friend Tom’s cousin.” 

“I’ve heard of you,” said Ralph, drily. 

“Who told you, then?” 

“Jack Durham — another cousin of yours.” 

“Oh! You don’t mean the kid that joined 
that ’ere Boy Scout crowd over at Pi’neer 
Camp last summer, after — after ” 

“After you attacked the old man and him 


16 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

in the woods, one day. Yes, he’s the one. He 

told me.” 

‘You an’ him pals?” 

“Not exactly; he’s much younger than I.” 

“How old are you?” 

“Nineteen next month.” 

“Old enough ter know better, eh?” 

“What do you mean ?” 

“Better than ter go diggin’ fer — well, gold, 
in these ’ere parts.” 

A blush overspread Ralph’s freckled face, 
but it faded as quickly as it had come, and 
he continued to stare at Bill Terrill. 

“I wasn’t digging for gold,” he said quietly. 

“O’ course not! I was only joshing you, 
boy ! Say, what I wanted ter see you about is 
this: there’s some dispute between the what- 
d’-you-call-uns ? — executors ? — of your dad’s 
will and Old Man Perkins, who owns the farm 
next ter yours, about the boundary lines. Old 
Man Perkins, he claims ” 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 17 

‘'He has no c'aim whatever !’" interrupted 
Ralph, vehemently. ''That old dispute was al- 
most settled before my father’s death. Dad 
had our farm surveyed, charted, and the 
boundaries marked. I can show you the stone 
on the northwest corner ; it’s only a few yards 
away, over there.” 

“Well, Perkins is havin’ his acres surveyed 
now,” said Terrill, “an’ I’m one of the crew 
that’s doing the job fer him. I’m axeman. 
You see, I’ve reformed consid’r’ble since — 
since last summer, and I j’ined a surveyin^ 
crew ; axeman now, rodman later, if I’m good, 
an’ ” 

“But why did you want to see me? Was 
it about this boundary question?” 

“Oh, you admit there is some question about 
it, after all?” 

“Are you trying to pump me, Terrill?” asked 
Ralph, shrewdly suspicious. “If you are, you 
won’t get any satisfaction until Pve seen our 


18 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


lawyer. It seems to me youVe playing detec- 
tive instead of surveyor, and you don't do it 
very well! You had better stick to your job, 
and the axe 1" 

Terrill grinned. 

‘If it turns out that your pa made some 
mistake or was — cr — too cock-sure about the 
lay o' this land, what d'you think Old Man 
Perkins would do about it ?" he inquired mean- 
ingly. 

“Prove his claim, and take part of our pres- 
ent farm away from us, of course," Ralph 
retorted. “But there is no mistake. The land 
is ours.” 

“And if it is, would you be willing to sell 

ft 

“Not a square foot of it — to Perkins." 

So saying, Ralph picked up his cap, and 
carefully brushed off the clay and leaves. As 
he did so, the shining feather caught his down- 
cast eyes once more, and this time he stooped. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 19 


picked it up, and deliberately stuck it under the 
band on the inside of his cap. Then he se- 
cured the faithful Keno, and, without another 
word to Bill Terrill,' who had moved away 
whistling defiantly, he tramped homeward, in 
a rather gloomy mood. 


20 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER II. 

A TIMKI^Y SUGGESTION. 

Doctor Kane, the kindly physician from 
Oakvale, was just coming down the path from 
the Kenyon farmhouse as Ralph rode into the 
yard. He paused beside his car, seeing the 
lad dismount hastily and come forward with 
an anxious appeal in his brown eyes. 

"‘How — how is she to-day?'' Ralph asked, 
when he had grasped the doctor's outstretched 
hand. “Her eyes — are they " 

“No better, and no worse," replied his 
friend; and again the doctor explained the 
situation in simple terms that Ralph could 
understand. 

“What will the operation cost?" Ralph asked 
desperately. 

Doctor Kane pondered for a moment. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 21 


‘Well, if she will consent to go before a 
clinic, I think I can get her oflf with a hundred 
and twenty-five dollars, including hospital 
fees,’’ he replied, “ril be glad to go with 
her to the city, Ralph, and pay the car fares.^^ 
Ralph knew he meant by “car fares’’ travel- 
ing expenses, for he was familiar with Doctor 
Kane’s habit of belittling his many charitable 
acts. He knew also that, if necessary, the 
doctor would gladly lend him the sum of 
money which stood, a tangible barrier, be- 
tween his mother and total darkness ; but with 
a sense of indomitable hope and modest pride, 
he had resolved not to ask for that favor, 
which, he realized, would be no small one, ex- 
cept as a last resort. 

“You’re awfully kind, sir,” he responded 

warmly. “I appreciate ” 

“Nonsense!” ejaculated Doctor Kane. “It 
will be a pleasure for me to do anything I can 
for your mother and you, my boy. Your fa- 


22 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

ther was one of the best friends I ever had, 
and some day Til tell you how I came to owe 
him a debt which I shall never be able to repay. 
Just call on me if I can help out, won't you?" 

He closed the gate and went forward to 
crank up his runabout, but Ralph detained 
him a few moments longer, to tell him about 
the encounter with Bill Terrill. When he had 
finished, the doctor advised him to pay no at- 
tention to the vague overtures made by Silas 
Perkins' hireling, until the doctor himself had 
referred the matter of the survey to the co- 
executor of Mr. Kenyon's will. After that, 
it would be time to consider a sale, definitely. 

‘'Don't let anyone bunco you, my boy," he 
added, as he climbed into his car and grasped 
the steering-wheel. “By the way, Ralph, I 
saw my friend Professor Whalen in Oakvale, 
the other day. He told me he sighted a fine 
pair of golden eagles up here in the mountains, 
recently, and would willingly give a hundred 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 23 
and fifty dollars for that pair, if they’re as 
good as he thinks they are. He wants them 
for a gift to his college museum. There’s a 
chance for you!” 

‘'So much — for a pair of eagles!” exclaimed 
the boy. “Did he really mean it?” 

“I’ll bet he did! You don’t know what a 
good sport Whalen is when he strikes any- 
thing out of the ordinary in that line. If I 
were you, Ralph” — here the doctor leaned over 
the side of his car, and spoke earnestly — “I’d 
try to locate their eyrie and capture them, dead 
or alive. Or, it might be worth your while 
even to lead the professor up to a place where 
he could get a safe shot at the birds. He 
talked of coming up here some day this week. 
I tell you what I’ll do: I’ll send him here to 
you, and you can guide him.” 

“No, no!” protested the lad, eagerly. “Just 
give me his address, and I’ll do my best to get 


24 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

the pair for him and bring them to him in the 
village/' 

^You can ride over with me and see him, 
the next time I come up here," said the doctor. 
'^^Good luck, Ralph!" 

^Yhank you, sir! Good bye!" 

When the automobile skidded out of sight, 
leaving a cloud of dust, Ralph remained stand- 
ing by the gate, warmed by a new hope which 
the doctor's suggestion had kindled in his mind. 
No longer did the hundred and twenty-five 
dollars seem unattainable, no longer did clouds 
of gloom and anxiety hide their silver lining! 
Here was another way of earning money for 
his mother's desperate need: an uncertain, dif- 
ficult, even dangerous way, to be sure, but one 
well worth trying. Yes, he would make the 
attempt, even though he hated to take the 
lives of those splendid creatures of the air. 
He determined to get those eagles for the pro- 
fessor. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 25 

Full of this plan, he led Keno to the stable, 
unsaddled and fed him, and then, while wait- 
ing for his mother to call him in to dinner, 
skinned the mink he had trapped. His active 
mind was busy devising the best way of secur- 
ing the prize. 

In the house, he found his mother less de- 
jected than usual; doubtless the doctor’s visit 
had had a cheering effect upon her. However, 
Ralph said nothing to her of his new Hopes, 
because, after all, they might prove too slender 
to build upon; they might lead only to dis- 
appointment. He plunged at once into a lively 
account of his morning’s hunt, and from that 
he went on to discuss with her the first steps 
to take in the early planting. 

The next morning Ralph was up before sun- 
rise. Instead of bringing his trapping to an 
abrupt end, he decided to get up at an earlier 
hour than before, in order to have time for 
his daily rounds of visiting the traps. He 


26 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


did not know which day the professor might 
choose for coming in quest of the golden 
eagles, and he was determined that no one 
should get ahead of him. 

'^After all, he can’t come hunting up here 
on our land without my permission, for that 
would be trespassing,” reflected Ralph. ^'And 
if he should turn up, I can tell him that I’m 
on the job, myself.” 

Two busy days passed. While attending to 
his traps, in the early hours, Ralph never once 
allowed his rifle to lie beyond his reach ; yet a 
third day went by, and he had no chance for 
a shot at the coveted birds of prey. Several 
times he caught sight of them hovering above 
the gray cliflFs where he knew they were pre- 
paring to build a nest, but each time they 
were too far away to risk a shot. 

And still no sign of the professor, or of any- 
one else in pursuit of the eagles. Had the 
professor gone away from Oakvale, or, on a 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 27 
hint from Doctor Kane, was he merely waiting 
and giving Ralph every chance to earn the 
money? If the latter were the case, it was 
quite unlikely that Professor Whalen would 
share the secret of his discovery with any 
other possible hunter. 

* * * Hs sH 

Several miles away from the Kenyon farm, 
on the shore of Pioneer Lake, which was sep- 
arated from the farm by the rugged slopes of 
old Stormberg and the adjacent hills, was a 
fair-sized camp which bore the same name as 
the lake. It was occupied every summer by 
a troop of Boy Scouts under the leadership 
of an ex-officer of the United States Army. 
In fact, Pioneer Camp was well known in that 
section of the country, and Ralph had often 
heard of it from Tom Walsh and Tom’s young 
cousin. Jack Durham, who had joined the 
troop. At one time, before his father’s death, 
Ralph had longed to become a member of the 


28 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


troop; but one duty or another had prevented 
him in the summer, and now it seemed out of 
the question. Daily work, the necessity of 
earning a living for his mother and himself, 
and the management of his farm, demanded 
all his attention, and gave him no time for 
play. 

On the fourth day of Ralph^s new hunt, he 
was obliged to drive over to Oakvale to bring 
home groceries and provisions as well as seeds 
which he had ordered. In the town market 
he saw Doctor Kane talking to a tall, bronzed, 
soldierly-looking man who wore a khaki uni- 
form with the Scout Masters^ badge embroid- 
ered on the coat-sleeve. Accompanying this 
man was a half-breed Indian, known in that 
vicinity as Joe Crow-wing, or "‘Injun Joe,’’ 
the guide and chief woodsman of Pioneer 
Camp. The half-breed hung about in the back- 
ground, conversing with two lads also dressed 
in scout uniform. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 29 

Catching sight of Ralph, the doctor beck- 
oned to him. 

‘'Come here, my boy,’’ he said, in his cordial 
way, as the young fellow approached, “I want 
you to meet Scout Master Denmead, who’s up 
here arranging for the opening of camp next 
month. Denmead, this is Ralph Kenyon, a 
very particular friend of mine.” 

“Glad to know you, Kenyon,” said the Scout 
Master, grasping Ralph’s hand. After talking 
with him for a few minutes, he called the two 
other boys over from the counter on which 
they were sitting and introduced them to Ralph 
as Tom Sherwood and Arthur Cameron. 

“Aren’t you fellows up here earlier than 
usual?” asked Ralph, presently, finding his 
habitual reserve wearing away. 

“Yes, we are,” replied Tom Sherwood. 
“You see, we graduated from Hilltop last Feb- 
ruary, and when we found out that the Chief 
was coming up here, we asked him to take 


30 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

us in tow for a while before camp regularly 

opened/' 

‘'He's going to give us a course in geology," 
added Arthur Cameron, “and we're going to 
make a survey around here this summer." 

“Geology!" repeated Ralph. “That's my 
pet subject Some day, you know. I'm going 
to study mining engineering." 

“That so? Well, come along with us for a 
'prelim,' " suggested Arthur, in the true scout 
spirit of friendliness. 

Ralph sighed and shook his head. 

“Wish I could !" he admitted. “Haven't 
time to spare, though." 

“Studying?" queried Tom. 

“No, working." And Ralph stated briefly 
and frankly the nature of his work. 

“Like it?" again inquired Tom, who was al- 
ways interested in people and their occupa- 
tions. 

“I don't mind the work itself," said Ralph, 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 31 


not half bad, you know. But selling vege- 
tables in the village market, and haggling with 
stingy buyers over the price of cabbages and 
green peas, is what gets my goat He laughed 
ruefully. ‘1 guess Fll have to be jogging on 
my homeward way,'’ he added. “So long! 
Come over and see me on the farm, if you're 
ever along that way. I'll show you my traps 
and perhaps we can go out on a little hunt — 
er — that is, if you " 

“Thanks; we will," said Tom. “But we 
don't hunt animals to kill; it's against scout 
rules in our troop." 

“We hunt 'em with a camera," Arthur ex- 
plained. 

“Oh, I see. Well, so long." 

The three lads shook hands. 

“So long! Hope we'll meet again soon." 

Ralph then took his leave of Denmead and 
Doctor Kane, and went on his way, with a 
new idea buzzing in his mind: so they were 


32 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


going to make a survey of that locality! He 
could invite them to investigate his land, and 
— what if his father's hopes and beliefs should 
prove to be founded on bed-rock? Bed-rock, 
rich in ore? Could it be more than a dream? 
If they should discover any iron, anything — 
they were nice fellows — he could trust them. 
Very decent chaps to know, perhaps to have 
as friends. And they didn't approve of trap- 
ping or shooting! Against scout rules, eh? 
And was he — oh, well, it was fair play, and 
he needed whatever extra money he could earn. 
Those eagles ! Y-es, he must not lose any more 
time. The eagles would have to be the prize 
of his marksmanship, even though he winged 
them against his will. 

♦ :|c * :<e 

At the end of that week he told himself that 
he would have to get the birds that day, or 
give up the hunt for them, and devote his en- 
tire time to the gardens. He resolved to spend 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 33 


the whole day in the neighborhood of Eagle 
Cliff, as he called it; for get them he would, 
then or never, before going back to the pres- 
ence of his patient, pathetic, brave little 
mother. 

Accordingly, about five o’clock in the morn- 
ing, he led the faithful Keno from his stall, 
and rode slowly down the dusty road until he 
came to a point where the narrow bridlepath 
branched off the road and wound upward into 
the silent woods. Following this path until 
it became indistinguishable on a thick carpet 
of moss and leaves and coarse fern, he reached 
the big boulder at last; there he left Keno 
safely tied and hidden in a clump of alders. 

Then he went on, several rods down the 
trail, and took up his position directly across 
the stream from Eagle Qiff. 


34 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF. 


CHAPTER III. 

THE COMBAT ON THE CLIFF. 

Lying on his back in the narrow trail, with 
his eyes continually roving over the jagged 
side of the cliff, Ralph became drowsy, in spite 
of his desire to catch sight of the eagles when 
they rose to stretch their wings in the first 
flight of the day. Along the eastern rim of 
the hills the sky was paling into a yellow glow 
without a ctoud to mar its perfect clarity. 

How long the young hunter dozed he could 
not tell, but he roused with a start, and sat 
bolt upright, glancing around him impatiently. 
Directly over his head, soaring high over the 
trees, was one of the great birds, evidently in 
search of prey: perhaps an unwary rabbit, 
squirrel, or fat woodehuck, for breakfast. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 35 
Catching sight of the bird as it hung poised 
in mid air, Ralph muttered: 

that's the male, hunting alone, the fe- 
male must be on the nest — which will make 
matters twice as difficult for me!" 

Even as he watched it, the solitary bird made 
a sudden swoop downward, sailed closer over 
the tops of the highest trees, and then sud- 
denly dived into their midst, emerging after 
a few minutes with a small limp form seized 
in its talons. With this prize the eagle now 
flew swiftly and silently to a ledge on the side 
of the cliff, and uttered a curious loud whistle 
of invitation. In response, the larger bird^ 
the female, appeared on the ledge, and the pair 
forthwith began their meal. 

Very cautiously, so that his slow movements 
might have the least possible chance of being 
observed, Ralph reached out for his rifle, and 
— shifting his position by crawling forward un- 


36 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

til the feasting eagles were within range — 

fired. 

At the report, one big bird toppled over the 
precipice to a ledge not ten feet above the 
foaming water, on the other side of the stream. 
Its mate, with a harsh scream of alarm, darted 
up into the air, circled once over the spot where 
Ralph crouched, and flew hastily away. It 
was so swift in its flight from the place that 
Ralph Was unable to get a second shot. 

Nevertheless, even in his vexation at appar- 
ently losing it, Ralph could not refrain from 
giving a shout of triumph. Hurriedly secur- 
ing his pony, he made a detour of about half 
a mile in order to cross the mountain stream; 
for to cross it at the spot which he had chosen 
for his ambush would have been impossible, 
owing to the depth and swiftness of the cur- 
rent. 

After fording the stream at the further 
point — under protest from Keno, who picked 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 37 


his way very carefully and grudgingly over 
the treacherous rocky bed — Ralph dismounted 
and tied the horse to a tree. Then he walked 
carefully along the base of the cliff, crawling 
or jumping from one rock to another, taking 
advantage of every slight projection, and hold- 
ing his breath for dread lest he slip and hurl 
himself into the foaming water. At last he 
came to the foot of the rock where, but a short 
time ago, the eagles were devouring their 
breakfast. There he paused to get his wind 
and to look for the fallen bird. 

Quite out of reach, on the ledge above his 
head, the female eagle lay stunned and broken- 
winged, but still alive. To scale the cliff was 
not possible, for here it sloped sharply out 
over its base, where it had been worn smooth 
by the stream at some previous age when the 
water was swollen higher. There were no 
trailing vines or overhanging saplings strong 
enough to bear Ralph’s weight ; but, foreseeing 


38 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

this very obstacle, he had brought a rope which 
he now uncoiled from around his waist. He 
flung it dexterously over the ledge. To his 
utter surprise, it caught there at the middle, 
while the other end dangled within his grasp. 
He seized it, gave a few strong tugs at each 
end of the rope to make certain it was secure, 
leaving his coat and rifle on the ground, and 
then he began to climb up, hand-over-hand. 

Gaining the ledge, he at once saw the 
wounded bird. After a short, sharp struggle, 
he dispatched her, and was in the act of tying 
the lifeless body to his hunting belt when he 
was startled suddenly by a loud whir of wings, 
and something hit him a stinging blow on the 
back of his head. The male eagle, attracted 
by the shrill cries of its mate, had come to the 
rescue ! 

A hasty glance over his shoulder showed 
him an alarming glimpse of the mighty poten- 
tate of the air bent on revenge for the death 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 39 

of his mate. Ralph ducked just in time to 
escape another blow from those powerful 
wings, and he struck out wildly with his right 
arm, missing the winged warrior by a mere 
inch. He saw that he was going to wage 
battle, then and there, on the face of that pre- 
cipitous cliff. 

As he drew his long hunting knife out of 
its sheath, the eagle darted at him once more. 
Ralph threw his arms up to shield his head 
and face, and as he dM so, his foot slipped. 
He clutched frantically at the rock to save 
himself from falling, and dropped his knife. 
He heard it clink on the rocks several feet 
below his reach. 

Before he could fully recover his footing, 
the bird was upon him, beak and talons, seiz- 
ing the sleeve of his shirt and making gashes 
in the boy's arm. By a mighty effort Ralph 
got his balance again, and turned to meet the 
onslaught, waving his arms like flails, to beat 


40 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

down the force of those wide threshing wings. 
Again and again the eagle made a vicious rush, 
and once he managed to get under Ralph’s 
arm and to take an ugly nip in the flesh just 
above the eye. Maddened by the pain of this 
wound, and half blinded by the blood which 
soon began to flow from the cut, Ralph 
snatched the dead bird from his belt and swung 
it around his head like a club. Once this im- 
provised club crashed against the attacking 
bird, and Ralph took advantage of the latter’s 
hasty retreat to slide down the ropes and land 
on firmer ground. He tossed the dead bird 
aside, and lunged forward to recapture his 
knife. 

But the king of the clouds was not by any 
means outdone. Indeed, the sight of his dead 
mate lying on the rocks, near where Ralph was 
crouching with his back protected by the slop- 
ing rock wall, seemed to put a new idea into 
the crafty bird’s brain. Screaming with rage, 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 41 


he swooped down after Ralph, and alighted 
on the ground about two yards from the place 
where the lad crouched in his protecting niche. 
Then, with wings bowed outward and down- 
ward like a belligerent hen, with beak snap- 
ping and talons spread wide, rending the air, 
he charged straight into Ralph^s face. 

The plucky youth was ready for this, how- 
ever, and he awaited the attack, knife in hand. 
He was unwilling to use the knife if he could 
avoid doing so, for a bad cut might injure the 
skin and feathers of the coveted trophy. But 
it seemed likely that such considerations would 
have to be banished in the face of this horrible 
danger. 

After repeatedly beating back the infuriated 
eagle, Ralph saw that his best blows were 
glancing harmlessly from its shining armor of 
feathers, and that the vengeful creature was 
gaining courage with every charge. More- 
over, in his cramped position he was at a dis- 


42 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


advantage, while the blood trickling down 
from the wound in his forehead made his sight 
uncertain. In desperation he resolved to turn 
the knife edge uppermost and to strike with 
an upward motion as the bird rushed close. 

His next blow showed the wisdom of this 
course. Aided by the bird’s reckless attack, 
the keen blade found its mark under one of 
those great pounding pinions, and by the 
diminishing force of the next charge, and the 
next, Ralph knew that the eagle was weaken- 
ing. 

Another lucky thrust hurled the wounded 
bird to the ground, where it lay kicking feebly 
for a few moments; then, with a convulsive 
jerk, it flopped over and lay still at the edge 
of the stream. 

Ralph slid out from his crevice, and bathed 
his face in the cold water. Refreshed, he 
picked up the two splendid birds and gazed at 
them almost sadly, with no feeling of elation; 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 43 

he was full of admiration for the brave fight 
they had made. 

''I had to do it, I had to do it,’’ he muttered 
apologetically, as if seeking an excuse for an 
act which he found difficult to defend. '^Bet- 
ter do this than to borrow money and get into 
debt.” 

Thus he argued; but, in spite of his glad- 
ness at having won the means wherewith his 
mother might undergo the operation, he felt 
a reaction after the exciterrient of the fight.. 
Weary and wounded, and moved to a pitying 
admiration of the prize within his grasp, it 
was nothing to the discredit of this simple, 
manly lad that he shed a few tears over his 
victory. Have not seasoned hunters been 
known to weep over the death of a noble stag 
or a gentle doe? And were not these eagles 
no less noble in their sphere of the animal 
kingdom ? 

Almost sadly he tied them to his belt, care- 


44 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


fully avoiding further injury to their plumage; 
and as he did so, the thought crossed his mind : 

* Wonder what those fellows and the Scout 
Master would say about this, if they knew?’’ 

Still wondering, he retraced his steps along 
the edge of the stream, back to the spot where 
he had left Keno. Imagine his dismay and 
consternation when he found the tie-rope 
broken and the pony — ^gone! 

Keno had disappeared ! Had he grown res- 
tive and wandered away, or had he been stolen 
by some lawless prowler among the hills ? 

The situation, in either case, was bad 
enough, for the distance home was long, and 
Ralph was sore and aching in every limb. 
Knowing a horse’s infallible instinct for going 
homeward, he felt no apprehension that Keno 
would get lost; yet he realized what a sensa- 
tion the pony would make when, provided he 
were not stolen, he ambled into the farmyard, 
saddled and bridled and riderless ! 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 45 

^'Mother’ll be scared out of her wltsT' 
thought Ralph. ‘"Gee ! I wish this hadn’t hap- 
pened! I wish Keno hadn’t bolted like this! 
My fault, I suppose ; I ought to have tied him 
more firmly, but in my hurry to get the first 
eagle I neglected to do it!” 

Removing his belt, he sat down on a flat 
stone in the sunlight, and stared at the ground 
dejectedly. 

*'1 guess this is when little Weary Willie 
walks home!” he gr/oaned. ‘'Confound the 
luck!” 

Suddenly his gaze became riveted on a pecu- 
liar mark on the soft dry loam: the imprint 
of a large paw like that of a cat. Rising has- 
tily, he examined the ground all around the 
place and discovered many similar tracks. 

“It’s a bobcat!” he exclaimed aloud. “A 
big bobcat or a lynx ! The critter must have 
frightened old Keno and made him hit the 


46 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
trail home! Hope I don’t meet the brute! 
Fve got only two or three cartridges left.” 

Pausing only to remove his coat and shirt 
and to bathe the upper part of his body in 
the stream, he put on his garments again and 
set forth along the trail. As he walked slowly 
through the fragrant woods, squirrels and jays 
chattered derisively at him overhead, and 
frightened rabbits dashed helter-skelter among 
the thickets. He gave them not the slightest 
heed; his chief interest now was to get home 
as soon as possible and to relieve his mother 
from anxiety over his absence. 

To hasten his arrival he resolved upon tak- 
ing a short-cut through the thickest part of 
the forest, which, though it would eventually 
lead him out upon the boundary of Silas Per- 
kins’ farm, and necessitate his crossing that 
surly neighbor’s property, would save at least 
two miles of the return journey. 

Getting his bearings by the sun, in true 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 47 

woodsman’s fashion, he left the trail and 
struck off through the unblazed aisles of the 
wood, going onward farther and farther at a 
resolute pace. The sun presently was obscured 
by the thick canopy of budding trees, as Ralph 
descended into a little hollow between two hills, 
and dusky shadows contended with mid-day- 
light. Still the boy staggered onward, now 
and then faltering to rest. His wounds gave 
him little pain now, though one eye was badly 
swollen around the cut. But it bothered him 
and distracted his mind; and this was prob- 
ably the reason why, in his haste and distress, 
he found himself growing more and more be- 
wildered by his surroundings. Finally he real- 
ized that he had lost his way. 

‘And I can’t be more than five miles from 
home, tooT he reproached himself, in tired 
disgust. 


48 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER IV. 

A NIGHT IN TH^ WOODS. 

Although it was not yet noon, Ralph was 
as hungry as a young wolf, for he had eaten 
nothing more than a dish of cold oatmeal and 
milk since five o’clock that morning, and he 
had taken no provisions with him. Assailed 
now by the pangs of a youthful, healthy, un- 
satisfied appetite, he began to wonder what he 
could manage to ‘‘scare up” in the form of 
edibles. 

Near at hand was one of the numerous 
small springs with which these hills abounded. 
It rilled up out of the earth and rocks and 
formed a pool of clear water in which cress 
grew plentifully, furnishing him with a wel- 
come salad. He gathered a hatful of last 
autumn’s chestnuts — somewhat soggy, to be 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 49 

sure — and, making a small fire of leaves and 
bark, he proceeded to roast these in the em- 
bers: a tedious and unsatisfactory process at 
best. Having thus taken off the edge of his 
hunger, he set forth upon his homeward 
journey again, in a new direction. 

‘‘The next time I come up here in this neck 
of the woods Til have a pocket compass or a 
watch, at least,’" he said to himself. “It was 
foolish of me to start off without one, but I’ve 
learned a lesson to-day, anyhow. The trouble 
is, I never dreamed I’d get lost!” 

He was headed directly from Pioneer Lake, 
as he thought, toward the hills beyond it, and 
presently, as he began to climb, the scenery 
grew wilder and more unfamiliar, the trees 
taller and set more thickly together, the under- 
growth almost impenetrable. Still he fought 
on. It seemed he had never been so far in 
this direction before, and after the first rush 
of angry despair had passed, he felt doggedly 


50 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

curious to learn whither he was going, and 
what landmark he would see first. 

For almost two hours he plodded on, bur- 
dened with his rifle and the pair of eagles, 
scratching his hands and face, tearing his 
clothes. It was a miserable, heart-breaking 
tramp, one which might have caused a less 
plucky lad to sit down and give way to doleful 
helplessness. Even Ralph felt an uncanny 
sense of utter loneliness, and he upbraided 
his own stupidity, as he chose to call it, in 
wandering so far afield. 

At last he noticed a faint roaring noise at 
the right, and he turned in that direction, 
blindly, aimlessly. As he advanced through 
the undergrowth the sound grew louder and 
louder, until finally he emerged from the 
thicket and stood upon the bank of a deep 
stream which rushed turbulently along and 
dropped over a ridge, falling sixty or seventy 
feet into a cup-like hollow in the rock. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 51 

Ralph uttered a cry of delight. 'Why, it’s 
my own waterfall! Tve been wandering in a 
big circle all this while, and here I am not far 
from my boulder where — ouch !” The sentence 
ended in a loud wail of agony, for, taking a 
step forward, the young wayfarer’s foot 
had slipped on a loose stone. His ankle was 
severely wrenched. 

For a few moments the pain was intense, 
almost unendurable. Poor Ralph groaned 
aloud and sank down on the ground, biting 
his lips in trying to keep tears of agony from 
welling to his eyes. How could he walk the 
remaining distance home? Even with an im- 
provised crutch made from a forked branch 
of some tree, it would be well-nigh impossible 
to travel up and down the stony grades that 
stretched between the place where he had met 
with this unfortunate accident and the farm- 
house. 

"Oh, if Keno had only not broken away!” 


52 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

The futile wish was maddening in his pres- 
ent plight. He showered sharp epithets upon 
the absent pony, until he remembered the prob- 
ability that Keno’s return without him would 
be the means of sending some one to the res- 
cue. This was some consolation, though it 
was but cold comfort in view of the fact that, 
had Keno not bolted, this mishap would not 
have occurred. 

However, there was no help for it now. 
Meanwhile, the badly sprained ankle was 
throbbing painfully, and Ralph's next thought 
was to thrust it, without taking off his shoe, 
into the cold running water in order to check 
the swelling. He held his foot there, shiver- 
ing with relief, then he stretched himself out 
on the bank of the stream, in the warm sun- 
light. Whereupon, with anxious mind and 
weary body soothed by the loud plash of the 
waterfall, with the pain in his ankle consider- 
ably relieved, and with a soft, grassy nook 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 53 


beside a rock offering repose, it was not very 
strange that, after closing his eyes drowsily, 
Ralph sank into a troubled slumber. 

When he awoke, the sun was only a little 
way above the tops of the highest trees, and 
long golden shafts of light were slanting down 
through the branches, making an intricate tra- 
cery of shadows on the ground. The air was 
beginning to have a decided chill, for the wind 
had shifted to the west and was blowing the 
spray of the waterfall into Ralph’s face. 

Strange that no one had come in search of 
him! Of course his mother could not have 
hitched Keno to the old buggy and driven here, 
but she might have telephoned to Tom Walsh 
and asked him to find out what had become 
of the missing hunter. He made another bold 
attempt to walk, with the aid of a stout pine 
branch; but he could not bear to put any 
weight on that cursed ankle. 

“Well, I guess Fm bound to spend the night 


54 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

here/^ he told himself grimly, after several 
futile starts. ''I hope mother'll not worry; 
she may not have noticed Keno, after all, if 
he went straight to the barn. I remember I 
left the door open. And now what's the first 
thing to be done ? Oh, I know : make a fire — 
and two smoke fires for a distress signal." 

So he set about doing this, hobbling with 
difficulty over the uneven ground. The signal 
fires he placed about fifty feet apart, so that 
the wind should not confuse them; his camp 
fire he built between three big rocks that 
formed a natural oven, over which he laid a 
hastily constructed grill made of green alder 
withes. On this grill he intended to broil 
whatever game he could bring down with his 
rifle, for supper; and, as luck would have it, 
he did not have to wait long before he 
'Tagged" a large gray squirrel, which he dex- 
terously skinned and prepared for cooking. 

While it was still daylight he gathered 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 55 

plenty of good firewood, for he realized that 
having no blanket or poncho he would need 
to keep up a brisk fire and to sleep as near it 
as possible. Fortunately, another rock ad- 
joining the fireplace afforded shelter against 
the cool night wind. 

The next thing to consider was his bed. 
The ground was damp in places, but if he used 
leaves for a bed they might take fire and burn 
him while he slept. So he built another fire 
in a sort of hollow at the base of the fourth 
rock, and after about an hour — during which 
the squirrel was broiling deliciously — he raked 
away all the hot ashes, and curled up on the 
dried warm ground. This proved to be a 
fairly comfortable bed and, after eating his 
nicely browned supper, and bathing his ankle 
again, he replenished the fire, taking care that 
it should not spread, and lay down beside the 
sheltering rock. 

Twilight deepened into darkness, the stars 


56 


THE BOY SCOOTS OF 


appeared one by one in the vast black dome 
above him, the forest was deathly still save 
for the noise of the waterfall which drowned 
all other sounds. Once, an owl, attracted by 
the fire, perched on a low overhanging branch 
and stared into the flames with great blinking 
yellow eyes ; then, startled by an uneasy move- 
ment of the sleeper, it flew away with a dismal 
hoot. 

Ralph’s dreams were troubled, a medley of 
combats with feathered foes, of lengthy alter- 
cations with Bill Terrill, of frantic digging in 
the ground for impossible gold. Twice he was 
wakened by twinges of pain, and he lay there, 
open-eyed, gazing up through the branches of 
the stars. 

‘'There’s the Pole star and the Pointers,” 
he murmured, to divert his mind from his 
suffering. “Of course, the Pointers go around 
the North star once in twenty- four hours, so 
that makes a kind of clock. I could find my 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 57 


way home by those stars if I had to, but I can't 
walk, I can't walk !" 

His voice trailed off into silence, and he fell 
asleep once more. 

Presently he was wakened, for a third time, 
by a man's voice calling his name. Or was 
this only another dream? He sat Up and lis- 
tened intently. The call sounded from some 
point back on the trail, and there could be no 
mistaking its reality; it was loud, gruff, yet 
kindly. 

‘‘Ralph! Oh-o, Ralph! Where are you, 
lad?" 

Then came a tremendous clatter of loose 
stones and a crashing in the undergrowth. 

The lone camper, benighted and forlorn, 
peered around him on all sides. At first he- 
could see nothing beyond the glow of his own 
fire, which intensified the weird shadows of 
the forest; but he could hear the shouts and 
the ringing tramp of a horse's hoofs on the 


58 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
stony ground. He raised his voice in answer 
to the call 

''This way ! Ki-i-o ! Here I am V he yelled 
excitedly. "Is that you, Tom?'’ 

In a minute or two, as his eyes became ac- . 
customed to the pitch darkness beyond the 
firelight, he beheld the flicker of a lantern 
shining among the tree-trunks. Simultane- 
ously, he heard the snorting of a startled horse. 
He stood up, leaning against his rock, and 
gave a peculiar throaty call that ended in the 
name "Ke-ee-no-o" — and then, to his delight, 
the intelligent old horse responded with a loud 
whinny of recognition. 

The next moment three shadowy forms, 
those of a man on horseback and two others 
on foot, detached themselves from the en- 
veloping darkness and advanced into the light 
of Ralph's campfire. One of the unmounted 
searchers carried a lantern. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 59 

They were Tom Walsh, — on Keno, — ^Jack 
Durham, and Tom Sherwood. 

''What in ’tarnation’s the trouble, lad?” de- 
manded Tom, as soon as the searching party 
had exchanged greetings with Ralph, fer- 
vently overjoyed to see them. "We’ve been 
looking for you ever since three o’clock this 
arternoon.” 

Ralph explained the object of his quest. 

"I got ’em, too,” he added, pointing proudly 
to the two eagles. "But when I started to go 
home, without Keno, and tried to take a short- 
cut through the woods, I got lost somehow; 
and besides, I sprained my ankle, so I can’t 
walk. I just had to wait for somebody to 
come after me. I hope mother hasn’t been 
awfully worried.” 

"Well, she wasn’t exactly what you’d call 
calm!” replied Tom. "But the doc is there 
at the house now, with her ; she might be lots 


60 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
worse. Does your ankle hurt bad? Can you 
ride home 

‘‘Sure I can ! Let’s start right away — unless 
you fellows want to rest. You must be tired.” 

“Fm not,” asserted Tom Sherwood. “How 
about you, Jack?” 

The youngest boy gave a little sigh. “It’s 
awfully nice up here in the woods by this fire !” 
he replied evasively. “Let’s warm ourselves 
and— and hear more about Ralph’s adventures, 
and — do you think Mrs. Kenyon will ” 

“Yes, I do,” interrupted his Cousin Tom, 
“Come on, youngster; you and Ralph get on 
the nag; Sherwood and I’ll walk. Let’s be on 
our way.” 

So the matter was settled, to Ralph’s satis- 
faction and relief. 

Putting out the three fires and sprinkling 
even the last embers thoroughly with water 
from the stream, the four friends started 
homeward, with Ralph and Jack mounted on 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 61 
Keno in the lead. Jack carried the lantern, 
while Ralph, with one hand on the bridle, the 
other holding the two eagles tied and balanced 
across the saddle, allowed Keno to pick his 
own way along the trail. The sagacious ani- 
mal seemed to know every foot of the path; 
even in the gloom of night he made no mis- 
step. Sherwood and Tom followed close, the 
latter carrying Ralph’s rifle. 


62 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER V. 

FRIE^NDS AT the: FARM. 

On the way home, Sherwood explained how 
he chanced to be one of the search party. 

^You see, the Chief — that’s what we call 
our Scout Master — was called back to New 
York on business for a few days, perhaps a 
week; so he left Arthur and me at Tom’s 
farm, because it’s only about five miles from 
Pioneer Camp. And when your mother tele- 
phoned to Tom, saying that you hadn’t turned 
up all day, Ralph, and that she feared some- 
thing terrible had happened to you, we in- 
sisted on going with Tom to look for you. 
But Tom said 

‘T said she oughtn’t to stay in the house 
all alone to-night,” Tom put in readily, ‘'so I 
told Arthur to stay with her until Doctor 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 63 

Kane showed up. I knowed it was his day 
to call at your house. See 

‘Yes, yes; I understand,'’ Ralph replied in 
a shaky voice. “It's mighty good of you all 
to take so much trouble." 

“Tush! 'Taint no trouble, lad! Why, any- 
body wouldn't refuse to do sech a small favor 
for your ma. Even Bill Terrill — he dropped 
in at your place to-day — even that cuss offered 
to go out and find you when he heard the news 
from her." 

“Terrill! What was he doing at the farm 
to-day?" 

“He drove over with ol' Si Perkins and two 
other wise guys, to get permission from your 
ma to " 

“Oh, I know! I know what they want!" 
exclaimed Ralph. “The mean, cowardly 
sneaks! They shan't bully mother into let- 
ting them survey our land, on the faked excuse 
that the survey dad had made isn't correct." 


64 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


‘What ’ud they want to do that for que- 
ried Tom. 

“Because Perkins wants to annex a piece 
of our property, sink a shaft in it, and see if 
the ground promises to yield any iron. He 
claims that the piece he wants, which is our 
northeast corner three-acre, really belongs to 
him.’' 

“Can’t the dispute be settled by law?” Tom 
asked, in surprise. 

“It was — once. But now the old grafter 
has dug up some technicality.” 

“And you’ve got to fight him, eh?” said 
Tom. “Well, go to it, lad! Go to it! I’ll 
stand by you!” 

“Why doesn’t he experiment on his own 
land?” was Tom’s next question, born of a 
lively interest he felt in the controversy. 

“Because the B. N. and C. Railroad wants 
to run a branch line from Oakvale over to the 
main line, in a big loop, and Perkins may have 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 65 


a chance to sell some of his land. That’s why 
he doesn’t want to have it dug up, at present; 
he may strike ore. And that’s why he’s going 
to have his whole property surveyed.” 

''Ralph,” said young Sherwood, after listen- 
ing thoughtfully to his new friend’s explana- 
tion, "you know the railroad company will 
have a survey made, on their own hook. Now 
it seems to me, if you know anything about 
surveying, that it would be a good chance for 
you to join the railroad’s surveyors and get 
in a little fine work on your side of the fence, 
so to speak. Don’t you think so?” 

"I never thought of that!” Ralph eagerly 
responded. "That’s a keen idea ! Much 
obliged to you for it! You can bet I’ll try.” 

Talking thus, the four beguiled much of 
the long tramp back to the farmhouse; Ralph 
almost forgot the pain of his injuries. A bond 
of friendship seemed already to have drawn 
him and Sherwood together: a bond which 


66 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
was destined to be strengthened not only by 
the adventure of this night but also by many 
future adventures which they would share. 

‘'There's a light yonder!" exclaimed Jack, 
suddenly, waving his lantern as he spoke. 
“Somebody has seen us 'way off, and is coming 
to meet us." 

He guessed right. As they approached the 
farmhouse they discerned in the darkness a 
figur*e coming toward them with a stable lan- 
tern. The figure swung this light to and fro, 
up and down, in wig-wag signaling, and Tom 
replied by whistling shrilly two short blasts, 
which meant “All right, we're coming." Then 
the figure hailed them with a whoop of joy, 
and ran forward. 

It was Arthur Cameron. Leaving Mrs. 
Kenyon in Doctor Kane's charge, he had 
slipped out of the house by the kitchen door 
so that his impatience and anxiety might not 
be observed, and, obtaining the stable lantenj. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 67 


he had gone forth to see if the search party 
was not yet returning. 

When Ralph entered the house, leaning on 
Sherwood and Arthur, his mother burst into 
tears of thankfulness for his return and of 
pride in what he had achieved. She was dis- 
tressed on learning about his sprained ankle, 
and, following Doctor Kane's directions, she 
lost no time in the preparation of hot and 
cold applications and bandages. Ralph was 
sent to bed as soon as he had modestly related 
his adventures, and had drunk a hot milk- 
punch (which he declared was ‘'nasty") in or- 
der to offset any chill which he might have con- 
tracted by sleeping out in the open. 

“As if I weren't used to sleeping practically 
in the open, every night of the year !" he com- 
plained to Sherwood, as he slid down between 
the sheets, which his mother had carefully 
warmed. 

“Do as you're told, and don't grumble, old 


68 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


top!’' laughingly replied Tom. '‘Hope your 
wounds and sprains and bruises and so forth 
will be much better tomor — I mean, later in 
the day. It’s 2 a. m. now. Good night!" 

"Good night! I’ll see you later." 

It was arranged that Doctor Kane, Tom, 
and the boys should spend the remainder of 
the night there; Mrs. Kenyon would not hear 
of any one of them going over to Tom’s house 
at that hour. So the doctor retired to the 
spare bedroom, Sherwood and Arthur occu- 
pied a broad couch or divan in the little parlor, 
where Tom Walsh and his young cousin slept 
even more comfortably on an extra mattress 
on the floor. Everyone was in good spirits, 
although tired and very sleepy; and the sun 
was high in the heavens before any one of that 
household awoke. 

Anyone? No, not quite; for, with char- 
acteristic thoughtfulness, Tom Walsh, waking 
earlier than the others, stole quietly out into 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 69 
the kitchen and began to make the fire and 
grind the coffee for breakfast. Mrs. Kenyon, 
hearing him, came downstairs at once. She, 
alone, had scarcely slept at all that night. Her 
fears for Ralph’s health, as well as the thought 
of having soon to go all the way to New York 
with Doctor Kane and undergo an operation, 
had banished slumber. Seeing Walsh en- 
gaged in his kindly efforts, she smiled as she 
laid a restraining hand on his arm. 

'"Tom Walsh, you dear man, go right back 
and get your forty winks !” she said. 'What 
>do you mean by this ? — and in my house, too !” 

"You think I can’t cook breakfast, eh? I 
want you to know I’m a fust-class cook!” said 
Tom, in genial protest. "Sit down there, now, 
and let me ” 

"I won’t! You’re a good soul, Tom, and 
I know you’ll make a husband that any sensi- 
ble woman’ll be proud of, because I can see 
you’ve been well trained. By the way, Tom, 


70 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
how’s Sue Turpin nowadays? And when will 
she name the happy day?” 

Tom colored up to the roots of his thin, 
sandy, curly hair. So Mrs. Kenyon, too, had 
heard of his wooing of Susan Turpin, the 
miller’s daughter! Well, why not, since it had 
become a pleasant topic of gossip in the coun- 
tryside? But he made no immediate reply, 
'except a grin, and Mrs. Kenyon continued 
tactfully : 

”Yes, an excellent husband, Tom — but never 
a cook. Your dear old mother told me, the 
last time she came over to see me, that you 
can no more cook than you can fly 1 And she 
thinks you’re an angel, too ! So just you hand 
me that coffee-pot and that frying-pan, and 
trot out to the poultry house and get me some 
fresh eggs.” 

“All right, if you say so,” assented Tom. 
“I’ll feed the horse, too. Suppose Ralph won’t 
be up an’ around for quite a spell yet?” 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEYi 71 

''No; I guess not/’ answered Mrs. Kenyon, 
relapsing into a more serious mood. 

"Say, Mrs. Kenyon, why don’t you ask them 
two Boy Scout friends of his to stay here and 
help him with the farm work while you’re 
away?” was Tom’s suggestion. 

"Oh, I simply can’t go away and leave the 
poor boy now !” 

"Nonsense!” replied Tom. "You’ve got to 
go, if the doc says so. Anyway, Ralph’ll be 
O. K. And them two boys’ll be pleased to stay. 
I know they will. Take my advice and ask 
’em.” 

"I’ll— I’ll see.” 

When Doctor Kane was consulted on the 
subject, he pronounced Tom’s suggestion a 
good one, provided the three boys could man- 
age to get their meals properly. This they 
vowed they could do; so Kane, considering it 
best to take Mrs. Kenyon to the hospital for 
treatment as soon as convenient, urged her 


72 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
to consent to the plan. He left the farmhouse, 
after a delicious breakfast, taking Tom Walsh 
and Jack home in his car, — also the golden 
eagles, which he promised to deliver to Pro- 
fessor Whalen that very day. 

Two days later he returned with a check for 
one hundred and fifty dollars, and a letter ex- 
pressing the professor’s complete satisfaction 
at having obtained the fine specimens. When 
he returned to Oakvale again, Mrs. Kenyon 
went with him, in his care. 

The parting of mother and son was a tear- 
ful one, though Ralph, choking down the big 
lump in his throat, tried manfully to cheer his 
mother with every hope of recovery. 

‘Tt won’t be very long before you’re home 
again and everything’ll seem wonderful and 
bright and new to you, mother,” he said. 
''And don’t you worry about me, for I’m get- 
ting along fine. I can hobble around quite 
spry with this crutch. And Tom and Arthur 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 73 

are on deck, you know. We'll behave our- 
selves and not get into any mischief, and by 
the time you're home again we'll have done 
all the planting. Good-bye, good-bye! I'll 
write to you every day." 


74 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER VL 

A NOCTURNAI, VISITOR. 

Tom Sherwood threw out his arms and 
yawned loudly. 'T’m sleepy/' he mumbled. 
‘‘Guess ril turn in, if you fellows are going 
to sit up much longer." 

“Good idea, Tom," commented Ralph, look- 
ing up from the letter he was writing. “You've 
been making a holy show of yourself for the 
last half hour, and I've been expecting every 
minute to see you dislocate your jaw." 

“It's being out in this air all day and doing 
such a lot of manual labor," said Tom, as he 
staggered to his feet. 

“Oh, say, I hope you're not doing too much ! 
You know, Tom, you're not used to farm 
work." Ralph laid down his pen and blotted 
the letter with much deliberation. His pale 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 75 

face, from which the freckles had faded 
noticeably during a week of indoor confine- 
ment, wore an expression of deep concern, 
‘‘And it^s not easy, I can tell you!'’ 

Arthur Cameron chuckled. Though he said 
nothing, the expression on his face was one 
of such utter disbelief that even Tom noticed 
it and turned on him, frowning. 

“Well, what are you looking at me like that 
for ?" he demanded, without being able to hide 
a grin. “Haven't I been exercising? Haven't 
I ? What have you got to say about it ? Didn't 
I spade up that old melon-patch and plant six- 
teen rows of carrots in it, this afternoon?" 

“I never said you didn't, old scout," said 
Arthur. 

“I know you've been working like a cart- 
horse, Tom," interposed Ralph, who had hob- 
bled around the fields for the first time that 
day, directing the labors of his friends. “You 
and Art have done wonders all week, and I'll 


76 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

never be able to thank you enough for all the 
help you’ve given me. It’s simply great to 
have such pals as you two! And mother’ll 
be delighted to know that everything’s going 
so swell. I had a letter from Doc or Kane 
to-day — guess I told you ? He said the opera- 
tion was very successful and she’s doing 
finely.” 

''Mighty glad to know it!” Tom declared 
warmly. "Did he say when she could come 
home?” 

"In a few days. But you fellows can’t leave 
then ! No, sir-ee ! We’re going to have some 
fun after all this work is over, and mother 
and I will want you to stay and loaf for a 
while. I can show you where to get some 
dandy photos of nesting birds, and I know 
where a pair of red foxes have a kennel every 
spring. You can take pictures of the vixen 
and her cubs, if you go about it carefully at 
the right time of day.” 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 7T 


Arthur's eyes shone with pleasant anticipa- 
tion. He was delighted with the prospect of 
getting some good photographs to show the 
boys in Pioneer Camp. But Tom, though he 
also looked forward eagerly to the reunion 
of the troop at camp, shook his head with 
regret at the thought of leaving the farm. 
Ralph had told him more about the dispute 
over the boundary, and about his father's 
dreams of finding iron ore on the land; Tom 
was interested, for Ralph's sake, in having 
the land surveyed and examined. 

“Why don’t you go to bed now, too?" asked 
Tom, when they had finished talking about 
animal photography. “You need the rest, I 
know, Ralph." 

“I'm going, in a few minutes, just as soon 
as I finish this letter. Trot along, boys!" 

“Well, good night," grunted Arthur, as he 
disappeared into his room. 

“Good night." 


78 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'‘Don’t be too long at it, Ralph.” 

"No, I won’t. Good night, old top.” 

His gaze followed Tom as his sleepy guest 
slouched out of the room, and when he heard 
Tom’s heavy footsteps on the creaking stairs, 
he took up his pen once more. Propping his 
head with his other hand, and shading his 
eyes from the lamplight, he wrote on. In a 
few minutes the springs of Tom’s bed creaked 
violently as he dropped down on it, and soon 
the sound of his heavy breathing in the room 
above showed that he was dead to the world. 

Ralph’s eyelids began to droop drowsily. In 
vain he struggled to keep them open. He put 
his head down on the table, with a sigh, and 
before he realized it he was asleep. 

The next thing he knew was that he found 
himself sitting up, wide awake. He had a 
distinct impression that he had been roused 
by the sound of a human voice. How long 
he had slept he could not tell. The lamp had 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 79 


gone out and the room was in inky darkness. 
As he sat listening, all at once he heard a 
sound of some one moving about the room. 

‘Wonder if we forgot to lock the kitchen 
door?'' was his first thought. Then he spoke 
aloud: “Who's there ?'^ 

No answer. 

“Who is it?" Ralph demanded, in a louder 
tone. “What are you doing? What do you 
want?" 

Still no answer. Only an impressive and 
uncanny silence. 

Reaching out for his walking stick, which 
lay on the table beside him, Ralph got up from 
the chair without noise or further ado, and 
took a few steps forward. As he did so, a 
burly form crashed against him in the dark- 
ness, knocking him down. Unhurt, though 
considerably startled, Ralph sprawled upon the 
carpet and stared quickly up at the window, 
by which the intruder would have to pass in 


80 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


order to reach the doorway leading into the 
kitchen. At the same moment, he raised his 
voice and called out: 

‘'Tom! Arthur! Come down here! Oh, 
Tom!^’ 

“Curse you!” muttered a harsh voice. 
“Shut up, or ril ” 

“Tom!” yelled Ralph, defiantly. He would 
have risen at once and grappled with the in- 
truder, only, with a weak ankle, he did not 
care to run the risk of a nasty blow or a bad 
fall. He yelled lustily instead, and in a minute 
he heard Tom spring out of bed and come tear- 
ing down the stairs. 

But his mysterious assailant lost not a mo- 
ment in making a getaway; he did not even 
wait to slip out by the rear door, through 
which he must have entered. Springing to 
the window, he smashed it with a kick, and 
was in the act of crawling through and drop- 
ping to the ground outside, when Tom flung 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 81 
himself upon him and dragged him back into 
the room. Fear of cutting himself on the 
broken glass evidently made the scoundrel 
yield more readily than he would otherwise 
have done. As it was, he put up a game 
fight, notwithstanding that Ralph, forgetting 
his ankle, joined in the fray. 

The three rolled over and over in a confused 
heap. Tom felt a stinging blow on the side of 
his head, which made scores of stars dance be- 
fore him in the darkness, but he never relaxed 
his grip on the man's collar. Ralph, too, was 
pounded and battered and choked by a power- 
ful hand at his throat. Suddenly there was 
an audible rip, something gave way in Tom's 
hands, and the man, hurling the two lads from 
him with a frantic lunge, got to his feet and 
dashed out through the kitchen. Before Ralph 
and Tom could recover themselves, they heard 
him running down the road, just outside the 
window, at full speed. 


82 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


‘'Great Scott! he's gone! he got away from 
us!" ejaculated Tom, in disgust. “Where are 
you, Ralph? Where's a light, a match?" 

“Here I am!" Ralph answered, scrambling 
to his feet, “What on earth has Art been do- 
ing all this time ? Didn't he hear the rumpus ?" 

“You bet I did!" exclaimed Arthur, coming 
into the room. “I heard your yells, and I ran 
downstairs after Tom, but — but I stumbled 
into the parlor, thinking the fight was in there. 
Then I heard one of these dining-room chairs 
being knocked over, and I rushed in " 

“You were just a minute too late!" 

Ralph groped for a matchbox on the mantel- 
shelf, struck a light, and applied it to the wick 
of the lamp. When the room was again visi- 
ble, he told his friends what had happened. 

“I don't know why he broke into this house ; 
there's no money here," added Ralph, “im- 

less " He stopped short with a gasp, and, 

going over to a wall cupboard, opened one of 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 83 


the drawers. ‘'Gone he cried. “The money 
I got for those last pelts! It's gone, before I 
had time to put it in the bank! The thief has 
taken it !" 

“Who could it be?" asked Arthur, after a 
brief, sympathetic silence. 

“I can't guess. Tim Meadows, the man who 
helped me with the plowing last fall, was too 
honest to — no, it couldn't be Tim! Perhaps^ — 
what's that you've got in your hand, Tom?" 

With a start, Tom looked down. Clutched 
in his right hand was a fragment of a man's 
coat collar and the shreds of a green and yel- 
low striped tie. 

“It's a clew !" said he, with the air of a pro- 
fessional sleuth. 


84 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER VII. 

BOY SCOUT detectives. 

On one of the fine courts back of the big 
summer hote^I at Oakvale an exciting game of 
tennis was drawing to a close. The players 
were two patrol leaders of a troop of Boy 
Scouts who were awaiting the arrival of 
‘UhieP^ Denmead, their Scout Master, before 
going over to Pioneer Lake for the opening of 
camp. Walter Osborne, of the Hawk patrol, 
and Donald Miller, leader of the Foxes, were 
very evenly matched. The latter was conceded 
to play the steadiest, surest all-around game, 
though Walter frequently surpassed him in 
single shots or astonishing rallies. 

That the set had been a hotly contested one 
was shown by the score in games being 9 to 8 
in favor of Miller. If he could make the next 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 85 

game, the set would be his, and with it the 
championship of the troop. He was counting 
on the fact that Walter was apt to go to pieces 
at a critical moment; this helped to keep the 
playing fairly even. 

Perched on a barrel, overlooking the court, 
George Rawson, the Assistant Scout Master, 
was scoring; while several other scouts had 
various points of vantage and were watching 
the game with eager interest. 

In the middle of a rally, Don hit the ball a 
low, smashing stroke, intending to place it in 
the far corner of the court. Instead, it grazed 
the net and dropped dead on the serving line, 
before Walter could return it. 

"Wantage out called Rawson. 

Walter laughed a trifle ""sore-ly’^ as he re- 
turned the balls for his opponent’s next serve. 
He hated to lose, but he was a lad who could 
take defeat gracefully if he had to, and this 
last play only served to put him on his mettle. 


86 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

Don’s first ball was a cut, but Walter re- 
turned it easily, and a new rally commenced. 
The captain of the Foxes played a net game, 
trusting to his height and reach to stop every 
ball that came over, while Walter preferred to 
stand well back on the court where he could 
place them better. 

Back and forth flew the ball with such swift- 
ness that Rawson had all he could do to keep 
track of it. All at once, Walter lunged for- 
ward to return a particularly difficult shot 
which Don had placed close to the net. BiflF! 
he just caught it and gave it a swift cut which 
sent it whizzing past Don’s extended racket to 
the ba^e line, where it raised a little spurt of 
dust. 

Amid a murmur of applause from the young 
spectators, Rawson decided in an instant. 

^^Out!” he called. ‘Uame and set.” 

Before the cheers had died away, Walter 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 87 

walked up to the net and shook hands with the 
victor. 

‘If you play like that when you’re rusty, as 
you said you were, Don,” he said pluckily, “I’d 
hate to be up against you when you’re in prac- 
tice!” 

“Oh, no, you wouldn’t, old scout !” was Don^s 
hearty response. “Why, I remember times 
when you put it all over me! I’m afraid of 
that famous serve of yours still !” 

“Whoop-ee!” yelled Cooper Fennimore, a 
scout in Don’s patrol, springing up and wav- 
ing his cap around his head. “That’s some 
playing, I tell you ! For a chap that hasn’t had 
a racket in his paw for three months, that’s 
going some !” 

“Talk about speed!” put in another Fox. 
“Gee! I’m glad I wasn’t in Walter’s place P 

The boy to whom these remarks were ad- 
dressed, Blake Merton, a Hawk and one of 
young Osborne’s staunchest friends, flushed. 


88 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'If you had been in Walter's place, you 
would have lasted about two minutes !" he re- 
torted. His naturally quick temper — usually 
kept in control — often flared up and led him 
to say things which he afterward regretted. 

"Huh!" exclaimed the Fox, scornfully. 
"You seem to think Walter Osborne can win 
all the time! Don did start in rusty, but he 
soon warmed up — just a little!" 

"Let's play a set. Coop, you and I," sug- 
gested Blake Merton, turning his back upon 
Don's elated follower. "Do you feel like it?" 

"Sure thing, Blake ! But I guess you won't 
have any trouble in putting me down and out." 

"Cut out the modesty !" laughed Blake. "It 
was all I could do to beat you yesterday, and 
you know it." 

So another court was soon occupied, with 
Dick Bellamy scoring. Dick belonged to the 
Otter patrol, and as Alec Sands, who formerly 
captained the Otters, was not going to be in 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 89 

camp that summer, Dick was Tom Sherwood's 
only rival for the leadership. Already the Ot- 
ters had held informal discussions of Dick's 
and Tom's qualifications, but it was still un- 
certain which of the two would be elected. 
Each was popular and had a good record in 
woodcraft, athletics, and scout games. An- 
other question was : Who would be chosen for 
leader of the Wolf patrol, in the absence of 
Hugh Hardin and his chum, Billy Worth, that 
summer ? 

‘‘Rough or smooth?" called Blake, tossing 
his racket in the air. 

“Rough," answered Cooper. 

“Smooth it is," the other declared, with a 
grin. “I'll take serve." 

Blake had a peculiar and difficult cut on 
which he prided himself in serving. It was 
seldom that anyone could touch it until after 
he had played with Blake for some time, and 
Cooper was no exception to the rule. 


90 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


“Fifteen love/’ announced Dick from the 
barrel. 

They crossed the court, and Blake tried the 
cut once more. This time Cooper was ready 
for it and sent it back with a swift underhand 
drive, and a rally began right at the start. The 
game promised to be a good one and it drew 
many interested watchers, though most of the 
boys had followed Rawson and the two patrol 
leaders over to the hotel. 

Cooper won the first game, and the second 
was in progress, when the attention of some 
of their companions was drawn to a horse and 
buggy driven by two boys, appearing on the 
brow of the hill and coming along the road 
which skirted the tennis courts. The occu- 
pants of the buggy were Tom Sherwood and 
Art Cameron, and as they drew near they were 
hailed with shouts of delight. 

“Oh, you farmer!” 

“Hayseed, where’ve you been planted?” 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 91 

^Welcome to our city 

‘'Come over here and get next to this game/^ 
They did so, after tying Keno to a post and 
giving him his noonday rations which they 
had brought with them from the farm. The 
story of the championship match that had just 
been played was related to them in full detail ; 
they in turn stated the errand on which they 
had come. 

"You know weVe been staying at Ralph 
Kenyon’s farm, having a great time,” Tom. ex- 
plained. "Well, last night, after Art and I 
had gone to bed, some mean cuss, a thief, got 
into the house, attacked Ralph — who’s one of 
the best fellows on earth, boys — and stole some 
money Ralph had been saving. In the tussle 
we managed to grab a piece of his coat and his 
tie, and we’ve come over to put them in the 
hands of the Oakvale constable, to see if he 
can identify them.” 


92 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


''Good for you, Tom! Tell us about the 
fight/’ 

"Oh, it wasn’t much of a fight,” Tom evaded. 
"But first I want to know how many of you 
fellows would like to make up some surveying 
parties — four in each crew — and offer your 
services to the B. N. and C. Railroad to help 
survey Ralph’s land. We can do it, you know, 
as assistants to the railroad’s regular survey- 
ors, and perhaps we can show them that it 
would be better to buy part of Ralph’s prop- 
erty for their loop line than to buy any of his 
neighbor’s, old Silas Perkins. And, if we can 
do this, why, it’ll be the greatest thing ever for 
Ralph, because he’s a good sort, and he wants 
to go to college, and he’ll ” 

Tom paused for breath. Enthusiasm for his 
friend and interest in Ralph’s ambition to get 
an education had carried him beyond the limit 
of his usual brief remarks. Such a long speech 
was a surprise to himself as well as to his 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 93 
auditors. They listened attentively, and not 
a few among them caught the spirit of the 
plan. 

''D'you think the Chief'll let us do it?" asked 
one. 'You know, we're due in camp by the 
first of next week." 

"Oh, I think he will. You know he has al- 
ready promised to give us a course in geology 
this summer, and a lesson in surveying this 
section. Then he's always willing to give us a 
chance to put what we've learned into practical 
use." 

"We'll ask him when he gets here at two 
o'clock." 

So the matter remained open ; and Blake and 
Cooper, who had stopped playing, resumed 
their interrupted game. The others watched 

them, forgetting more serious affairs. All 

but Tom, who felt restive and impatient to 
enlist the services of the constable, and to 
carry out his other idea. Glancing at his 


94 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
watch, he saw that it was after half-past one. 
In about half an hour the train would arrive, 
bringing the Chief and perhaps a few more 
scouts. He decided to stroll over to the station 
and meet them and submit his plan for Den- 
mead’s approval. 

With Tom Sherwood to think was to act. 
He left his friends at the hotel, and telling 
Rawson where he was going, set out in the 
direction of the station. His way took him 
first along Main Street and thence down one 
of the narrower side streets or lanes which 
branched off on each side. 

Oakvale was scarcely more than a large vil- 
lage, but it boasted many shops, two drug- 
stores, a public school, a post office, and four 
saloons. As Tom passed one of these haunts 
he saw a group of men standing on the cor- 
ner. They were gathered around a rough- 
looking specimen of humanity who stood with 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 95 
one leg thrown across the top of a low hydrant, 
haranguing his boon companions. 

‘‘An’ Perkins says ter me, ‘Now, jist yeou 
hold yer bosses an’ keep yer shirt on. Bill,’ says 
he. ‘We don’t want no foolin’ with thet kid.’ 
Waal, I didn’t like ther way he spoke, and so 
I got kind-er huffy, qjjd he says, ‘Here! take 
yer pay, and git aout! Beat it!’ And hefe I 
am !” 

“Fired again, eh, Bill?” said one of the 
loungers. 

There was a loud guffaw, and another man 
dealt Bill a resounding slap on the back. 
Whereupon the sidewalk meeting adjourned. 
As they passed between the swinging doors 
of the saloon, Tom touched the last man on 
the arm. 

“Can you tell me where the constable’s 
office is, sir?” he inquired politely. 

“I’m Constable Thompson,” replied the man, 
displaying his badge, for he realized that a 


96 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

Boy Scout would require some proof of the 
statement. ''What d’you want, sonny?'’ 

Very briefly and to the point, Tom stated 
his case against the unknown thief who had 
broken into Ralph's farmhouse during the pre- 
vious night. Then he showed Thompson the 
clews. The constable examined them care- 
fully, and seemed to recognize them. While 
he was doing so, the man called Bill appeared 
in the doorway and beckoned for him to come 
inside. 

"Ain't you off 'n the water wagon, Thomp ?" 
he asked, with a repulsive chortle. "Come on ! 

What's the mat ?" He broke off abruptly 

as his eyes fell upon the torn remnants in the 
constable's hands. "What — what you got 
there?" he mumbled, turning pale. "Got a 
bargain in ?" 

"No," replied Thompson curtly. "Straight 
goods, Bill Terrill. And it won't be a bargain 
for — a burglar, unless I'm mistaken. So 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 97 
long! IVe got to hustle or I may miss my 
guess and my man/’ 

So saying, he nodded to Tom to follow him 
and strode away, leaving Bill Terrill on the 
threshold of discovery. 


98 


THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER VIII. 

SURVEYING SQUAD. 

Terriirs words about ''no foolin' with' that 
kid," coupled with his startled look when he 
beheld the fragments of clothing, had started 
a train of reasoning in the constable's mind. 
All he said to Tom, however, was: "Come 
with me, boy. I'm not hankering for Bill's 
company just now, though I may be keen to 
see him later. Come along." 

Turning another corner, he led Tom across 
a vacant lot to a small, unkempt, dingy old 
house at the end of the path. In the yard of 
this dwelling a woman was hanging clothes 
on a line and a number of mongrel hens were 
taking dust baths under some lilac bushes. 
The breeze wafted the fragrance of these bios- 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 99 
sams to Tom’s nostrils as he and Thompson 
approached them. 

'‘Hello, Mrs. Terrill!” said Thompson. 
"Busy day for you, eh ? Why don’t you make 
Bill help you with the wash ?” 

"Bill’s got enough to do washin’ his innerds 
— with liquor!” gruffly retorted the woman, 
who seemed to be greatly vexed, even angry, 
at the mention of her husband’s name. "And 
just as if I haven’t put up with him time and 
time again about it! I won’t do it no more! 
And him daring to complain about my cookin’ 
and my not mendin’ his clothes! Why, this 
mornin’ he come home late, with his coat all 
torn and his ” 

"What?” almost shouted Thompson. "What 
did you say, ma’am?” 

— "I said his coat was all torn,” repeated 
Mrs. Terrill, pleased to find a listener who ap- 
peared to be sympathetic. "You know how 


100 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
'ternal careless he is, Mr. Thompson, and how 
much trouble he gives me.^' 

‘T do, I do indeed.^' The constable slowly 
drew out of his pocket the clews Tom had 
given him. ‘Uould this be a piece out o’ Bill’s 
coat?” he asked in an offhand manner calcu- 
lated to avert suspicion. 

'‘That’s it!” exclaimed Bill’s long-suffering 
wife. 'What of it?” she added quickly. "Any- 
thing wrong? I guess he must’ve got into a 

fight, his face was so battered, but I hope ” 

"Hold on, Mrs. Terrill! Enough said!” in- 
terposed the constable, who felt sorry for the 
way he had led her into a trap. "I made a bet 
about these rags, and now I’m going to put it 
up to Bill. Do you know where I can find 
him?” 

"No, I don’t, but I guess you know,” the 
woman replied sharply. 'What’s your bet?” 

"I’ll tell you bye and bye, if I win,” said 
Thompson, with a forced laugh, as he and Tom 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 101 

walked away. '"Now, boy, you heard what she 
said,’’ he continued, when they were out of 
earshot. "You witnessed when she identified 
these rags. I reckon Bill Terrill’s our man.” 

As quickly as possible they returned to the 
corner, where Thompson dived into the saloon, 
only to reappear after a few minutes — alone. 

"Friend William has skipped out,” he de- 
clared grimly. "His pals are in there, but our 
naughty little bird has flown! Never mind; 
I’ll get him. He’s either skulking around 
town somewhere or he’s made tracks to the 
station, hoping to get the 2.10 to New York. 
You said you were on your way to the station, 
didn’t you? I’ll go there first with you.” 

Sure enough, when the train pulled in at the 
station, there was Bill Terrill waiting to board 
it! He had not counted on such quick work 
on the constable’s part, and was not aware of 
the assistance his own wife had unwittingly 
rendered, so he had merely tried to get away 


102 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

before he was ‘'spotted'’ among the crowd of 
idle men and boys gathered on the station plat- 
form. When he felt Thompson's heavy hand 
on his shoulder, he started, tried to dodge him 
and escape, and, failing to do that, broke into 
a torrent of vile oaths and half-drunken pro- 
tests as he was escorted away to the village 
jail. 

Meanwhile, having told Thompson where he 
and Ralph and Art could be found if wanted 
later, Tom saw the Scout Master and four 
boys making their way over to the side of the 
platform, where a bus was waiting to take 
them to the hotel. He was just in time to join 
them, and soon he was telling his story to Den- 
mead. 

“That's a good idea of yours, Tom," said 
the Chief, when Tom had finished. “I'll find 
out how many of the boys know anything 
about surveying, and then I'll go and see Mr. 
Brett, one of the railroad officials, and learn 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 103 

what can be done. Fd like to help your friend 
Ralph Kenyon. I was sorry to hear that he 
met with an accident lately. It's a shame he 
killed those splendid eagles ! Professor Wha- 
len showed them to me. Why, I'd have been 
only too glad to pay the lad well for the privi- 
lege of studying the birds in their wild state. 
He ought to have protected them, as a Scout 
would do, not killed them ! But Dr. Kane told 
me it was his suggestion to Ralph." 

*Yes, sir; so I understand," Tom answered. 
'‘Ralph isn't a scout, you know, sir; and he 
needed the reward the professor offered — 
needed it in a hurry — so he earned it honestly, 
even though he'd have chosen not to shoot the 
birds. He said he was mighty sorry after- 
ward." 

'T’m glad to know that. I thought he'd re- 
gret it. Well, we won't cry over spilled blood 
now ; it's much too late. By the way, how's he 
getting along?" 


104 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


“Great, sir; he was able to walk around a 
little, without his cane, when Arthur and I left 
him this morning/' 

“Are you going back to the farmhouse until 
we start for camp?" inquired Denmead. 

“If you've no objections, sir." 

“None at all, my boy, as long as you can 
help your friend. You must ask him to visit 
us in camp when he has time." 

“I will, I will!" exclaimed Tom. “I know 
he'd enjoy it." 

“And if this surveying scheme of yours — 
or was it Ralph’s ?" 

“Both, sir. At least, we talked it over to- 
gether." 

“If it can be carried out, and if the railroad 
will buy part of Ralph’s farm, he will be able 
to go to the School of Mines?" 

“Yes, sir, that's what he wants to do. You 
don’t think, then, that there's any chance of 
finding iron ore on the property ?" 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 105 


'‘How should I know ? Stranger things than 
that have happened, Tom/' 

Talking thus, they reached the hotel. Den- 
mead was immediately surrounded by his troop 
of scouts, to whom he introduced the new re- 
cruits, and presently they all fell to discussing 
plans for the summer. 

As the afternoon waned, Tom made ready 
to drive back to the farmhouse, declaring that 
he knew the way perfectly, and even if he 
didn't, old Keno wouldn't make any mistakes. 
Arthur decided to stay with the others at the 
hotel, but Tom did not mind this at all, being 
quite willing to return alone. The Scout 
Master promised to send word just as soon as 
he had interviewed Mr. Brett, or his secretary. 

'Tf, for any reason, we should decide to go 
direct from here to Pioneer Camp, and should 
not go up around Silver Lake and thence to 
Ralph's farm, to call for you, Tom," he added, 
'T will send Joe to the farm, and he will guide 


106 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


you to camp through the backwoods north of 
Pioneer Lake. That will be an interesting ex- 
perience for you, and Joe is good company. 
Take good care of yourself, my boy, until we 
all meet again at camp.’’ 

''Certainly. Good-bye, all!” Tom sprang 
into the buggy and gathered up the reins. 
"Good-bye 1” he called out again as Keno turned 
and trotted up the road at a brisk rate. 

They watched him until horse and buggy 
were silhouetted against the sky on the brow 
of the hill; and, when he vanished down the 
further side in a hollow, they separated into 
little groups and went their ways in search 
of amusement. 

Tom made the long drive homeward with- 
out further adventures. It was after sundown 
when he arrived at the farm and found Ralph, 
who was really an excellent cook, preparing 
supper. Broiled chicken, sweet potatoes, as- 
paragus and radishes grown under glass, cus- 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 107 


tard pudding — it was a feast for these healthy, 
famished youths, and they did ample justice 
to it; so ample, in fact, that each had to let 
out his belt one notch ! And what a good talk 
they had over the events of the day ! Tom was 
as interested in hearing all about what Ralph 
had done and seen as Ralph was in Tom’s more 
varied account. 

The fact that Bill Terrill was the thief did 
not greatly surprise Ralph. However, he 
feared that very little, if any, of his money 
would be recovered, when he learned that Bill 
and his cronies had been drinking together. In 
this, we may add, Ralph was happily disap- 
pointed, for a few days later he received from 
Constable Thompson a crumpled ten-dollar bill, 
— the remains of the stolen hoard! 

The news that Scout Master Denmead would 
personally take up the matter of the survey 
was a great satisfaction to Ralph. It was 
more than that, it was a source of the most 


108 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


rosy-htied hopes and dreams in which he had 
indulged himself for many a long day. Al- 
most the last thing Tom said to him before 
dropping off to sleep was : 

''The Chiefll persuade ’em to do it, I know 
he will. He can do anything. He’s great !” 

And that night Ralph dreamed that his farm, 
all of it which was not bought by the railroad, 
was converted into a great mine in which 
scores of men were at work. 

T'.o days later a party of four men drove 
into the farmyard, with axes, tape, level and 
other implements for surveying. They began 
operations at met and did not cease until close 
of day, when, declining Ralph’s invitation to 
spend the night, they returned to Oakvale. On 
the following day they came back, with another 
squad. Of this squad Blake Merton was line- 
man and George Rawson rodman. The second 
squad began working from the eastern boun- 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 109 
dary of the Kenyon farm, and Tom spent part 
of the day with them. Ralph could not walk 
far, as yet, though with every day his ankle 
was getting stronger. 

Each night so long as the work of the survey 
lasted, Rawson, — who with Blake had accepted 
Ralph's invitation to stay at the farm, — spent 
an hour or two with the three boys, going over 
with them the methods of surveying and ex- 
plaining the local geological formations. 

Meanwhile, at Pioneer Camp, Lieutenant 
Denmead was giving similar daily instruction 
to the troop, with frequent brief trips for prac- 
tical demonstration. He had not thought it 
best to ask that more of the scouts might assist 
in the railroad survey, fearing that they would 
hinder the trained workers. But Rawson and 
the boys were to give the rest a detailed report 
of their work on their return to camp. 


110 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER IX. 

AWAITING A DECISION. 

While these important operations were in 
full swing, Dr. Kane brought Mrs. Kenyon 
home, completely cured and inexpressibly glad 
and grateful. Her return, although hailed with 
rejoicing by Ralph, upset the decidedly mascu- 
line housekeeping arrangements which he and 
his friends had established during her absence. 

Mrs. Kenyon could find no fault with the 
neat and clean condition of the house, nor with 
the way the dishes were washed and placed in 
order on the shelves. She was, however, con- 
siderably surprised, not to say startled, at the 
culinary efforts of her son and his guests, and 
she declared she could not understand ‘'how 
anyone can sleep in those beds, the rough-and- 
tumble way they’re made!” But after making 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 111 

them properly, she realized that there were now 
not enough beds to go round. Hence Ralph 
and Blake for two nights slept in the hayloft 
in the barn. 

The railroad surveyors returned to Oakvale 
in due time, having fully established the pre- 
vious survey which Ralph’s father had caused 
to be made. There could be no further dis- 
pute now over the boundary lines, and '"Old 
Man Perkins’ claim hadn’t a leg to stand on,” 
as Tom Walsh expressed it, when the report 
was read to him. Nothing remained now but 
to await the decision of the railroad officials 
as to whose property they would buy. 

The three lads, Ralph and Tom and Blake, 
had gained some valuable experience in their 
work with the surveying squad. Toward the 
end, Ralph had been able to go about with the 
others everywhere except on the stony slopes 
of the hills, where the walking was difficult* 
His work on the garden patches completed, he 


112 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

had a brief interval of welcome leisure to spend 
with his helpful guests. 

"Well, boys, I guess we'll start for camp to- 
morrow, if Joe turns up to guide us," Rawson 
said the evening after the survey was com- 
pleted. "Why don't you come with us, Ralph? 
I'm sure your mother can spare you for a few 
days, and we'd all be delighted to have you 
make us a visit at camp.'’ 

""Yes, you bet we would!" added Blake. 

""You'll come, Ralph, won't you?" Tom asked 
in his quiet, cordial way. 

""What do you say, mother?" said Ralph. 
""Can you — I mean, won't you be glad to be 
rid of me for a few days and have Aunt Sarah 
make you a visit here ?" 

""Not glad to be rid of you, son," returned 
Mrs. Kenyon, smiling fondly. ""But I wish you 
would go I It would be real fun for you. Your 
aunt is coming surely, so I shan't be lonely at 
all. Go along, like a good boy." 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 113 


''All right, I will. Thanks for inviting me, 
Mr. Rawson.^' 

Thus it was arranged that Ralph should ac- 
company them on a hike through the back- 
woods that extended for many miles between 
his farm and Pioneer Lake, southward. Earlier 
than usual he rose next morning and attended 
thoroughly to the chores; then, after a hearty 
breakfast, the four hikers bade Mrs. Kenyon 
good-bye and set out for a place in the woods 
where Joe was to meet them. This place was 
at the lower extremity of a small lake called 
Placid, which was cupped in the hills about 
two miles from the farm. 

"We’ll play we’re prospectors and look for 
signs of iron deposits on your land, as we go 
along,” said Rawson. 

They went steadily on for over an hour, 
pausing only to test inviting rocks with their 
hammers and to allow Tom to take scrnie pho- 
tos of birds and jrfants. Unfortunately the 


114 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
foxes' den appeared to be deserted that spring, 
and Ralph felt a pang of regret at the thought 
that perhaps the foxes that usually took up 
their abode there had fallen victims to his 
traps. 'T hope I won't have to set any more 
traps for the wild creatures of the woods and 
streams," he said to himself. ‘T see now it's 
much better sport to get snapshots of them." 

Presently the glitter of the little lake among 
the trees attracted them, and they pushed on 
through the thickets down to the shore. 

‘Wonder if it's too cold for a swim?" said 
Tom, eagerly. 

“A quick plunge won't do us any harm," 
assented Rawson. “Shall we try it, boys?" 

All were heartily in favor of the idea. In 
a few minutes they had stripped off their 
clothes and waded into the water. 

“Don't go far out!" cautioned the young 
Scout Master. “The water's none too warm at 
this time of year, and anyone of us might get 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 115 


a cramp suddenly without a moment's warn- 
ing/’ 

While the boys amused themselves by racing 
close to the shore, he swam ahead of them, but 
no further out. Rounding a wooded point that 
jutted out into the lake, he found, to his sur- 
prise, that he was facing Loon Island. He had 
no idea that he had come so far. The boys 
were not in sight, but their shouts and laughter 
assured him that they were all right, obeying 
his instructions; so he struck out toward the 
little island. A few vigorous strokes brought 
him to the shore — he could almost have waded 
across from the point — and he climbed upon a 
rock and sat in the warm sunshine. How de- 
licious it felt on his body ! What fun to stretch 
his muscles in the exercise which he liked best 
of all — swimming! 

‘'Nothing to equal the first dip of the sea- 
son said the young man, half aloud. ‘T feel 
like a schoolboy in a pond I" 


116 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


All at once his quick ear caught the faint 
splash of a paddle close at hand, and he sat 
motionless on the rock, and waited. The 
sound grew more distinct, and presently a 
canoe, manned by a solitary individual, came 
into sight around the shore of the island. Raw- 
son uttered an exclamation of surprise, for the 
man was ‘Tnjun Joe.’' 

Bareheaded and stripped to the waist, his 
thick blue-black hair tousled in the breeze, his 
lean, muscular, lithe torso gleaming like 
bronze in the sunlight, Joe paddled with a 
strong, swift stroke which sent the light craft 
dancing over the water. As he approached 
the rock on which George was seated he mod- 
erated his speed, and swerved toward a strip 
of beach. For a moment he hesitated, holding 
the canoe still by extending the paddle flat out 
on the water; then he headed straight for a 
safe landing between two boulders. 

Five minutes passed — ten. Still George 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 117 
waited, watching a little spiral of smoke curl 
up into the air. Then the canoe came into 
sight again, bobbing gently away from the 
island. Now it was empty. 

''Hello ! He’s not in it !” Rawson exclaimed, 
shading his eyes with one hand. "The canoe 
has floated away with his clothes ! He’ll have 
to swim for it !” 

In another moment he saw Joe scramble up 
on one of the boulders, fling off his remaining 
clothes, and dive into the water in pursuit of 
the flighty craft. Reaching it, the Indian did 
not climb aboard, but swam back to shore, 
pushing it in front of him. Then Rawson 
stepped down from his rock and slipped along 
the bank until he emerged from the under- 
growth just where Joe was landing. 

"Mighty careless of you, Joe,” he said, 
laughing. 

Startled, Joe looked around to see whence 
came the familiar voice. His eyes met Raw- 


118 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


son's, and he grinned with pleasure, as soon as 
he had recovered from the surprise of seeing 
the unexpected apparition of a naked white 
man in those wilds. Red man and white man, 
children of the wild, in a state of nature, shook 
hands in friendly greeting. Then Rawson ex- 
plained how they had been waiting for Joe to 
appear on the scene. 

‘‘What have you got there, Joe?" he finally 
asked, pointing to a brisk little fire and a pile 
of flat stones heating therein. 

“Got heap plenty fine fish," answered Joe. 
“We have dinner here on island, what?" 

“All right. Lend me this old canoe, and 
I'll go and get the boys and bring them over, 
while you are cooking the fish." 

This was done; and when all had dressed 
and piled into the canoe, a jolly and hungry 
party gathered on the island. Joe showed them 
how to broil the fish on the hot stones; they 
brought out their sandwiches, hard-boiled 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 119 

eggs, and milk, and all ‘Tell to’’ with a keen 
appetite. Joe remembered seeing Ralph at the 
market in Oakvale, and he grunted approv- 
ingly when informed that Ralph was to be a 
visitor at camp. 

They paddled across the lake and began the 
journey through the woods on the southern 
shore. But they had not gone far when they 
were overtaken by a thunderstorm, which 
drove them to the shelter of a cave at the base 
of a cliff forming one side of a broad ravine. 
The rain fell in torrents, mingled with hail, 
the thunder rolled and reverberated among 
the hills, and the skies were riven by vivid 
flashes of lightning. Within the cave, how- 
ever, they were snug and dry. 

“We’re safe here,” said Rawson, “and we’ll 
camp here for the night.” 


120 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER X. 

CAMP UFS:. 

After a long march through magnificent for- 
ests, along winding streams, up and down the 
sides of steep hills, the boys and their leader 
and the guide reached Pioneer Camp late the 
following afternoon. 

A rousing welcome awaited them, and al- 
most the first news they heard was that Tom 
Sherwood had been elected leader of the Otter 
patrol, during Alec Sands' absence. 

Tired as he was, Tom received this infor- 
mation with due appreciation of the honor. He 
was glad to hear also that the troop was get- 
ting up a baseball game for the morrow, to be 
played by two teams chosen from all four 
patrols. In this way he hoped to be able to 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 121 

tell just who were the best players in his patrol 
and who needed coaching for future games. 

As Pioneer Camp was nearer Oakvale than 
his farm, Ralph knew he could learn the de- 
cision of the railroad officials sooner than if 
he had stayed at home. He had sent word to 
the village postmaster, asking him to forward 
all letters to Pioneer Camp until further no- 
tice, and meanwhile he waited in feverish sus- 
pense. So much depended on the surveyors' 
report ! 

The second evening of Ralph's visit to Pio- 
neer Camp was given over to verbal '^exami- 
nations" on the subject of geological surveying. 
To create real fun in the competition. Lieuten- 
ant Denmead conducted the test like an old- 
fashioned spelling school. The various pa- 
trols were lined up in open opposition, and the 
boys were increasingly interested as one by one 
they missed some question and retired from the 
ranks in laughing confusion. 


122 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


Finally the light of the campfire revealed 
only four up-standing contestants : Tom Sher- 
wood and Sam Winter of the Otter patrol, Bud 
Morgan of the Wolves, and Blake Merton of 
the Hawks. 

‘'They can’t faze Blake,” whispered Walter 
Osborne, hugging himself joyfully, as once 
again Blake gave a calm and sure rejoinder to 
the Scout Master’s query. 

“No wonder!” replied Don Miller. “He has 
had all this practical work over at Ralph Ken- 
yon’s 1” 

“What’s the matter with Bud Morgan?” 
asked Arthur Cameron. “He makes me proud 
to be a Wolf I He has always been loony over 
surveying, you know.” 

Just at that moment Sam Winter joined the 
boys who were looking on at the finish. 

“Welcome to the company of the honorably 
defeated, Sammy,” called Dick Bellamy softly. 
“And here comes Tom!” he added. “Now it 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 120 

lies between Bud and Blake. — Hush ! What is 
the Chief saying?’’ 

'As a final test, I will ask each of these boys 
to write a list naming the twenty mineral speci- 
mens that Mr. Rawson has collected in the last 
two days,” announced Lieutenant Denmead. 
"The list that is most nearly correct will give 
the troop championship for the course of study 
to its writer.” 

Profound silence fell upon the eager group 
around the campfire as Rawson brought out 
his box of specimens, with paper and pencils 
for the boys.' 

At the end of ten minutes the lists were 
claimed, and soon after Rawson handed to the 
Scout Master the successful paper. 

Bud Morgan had won the competition, — 
and the Wolves howled in glee ! 

Not to be outdone, the Hawks, led by Wal- 
ter Osborne and Blake Merton, lifted their 
voices in a shrill ''Kree-kree-eee,** which rose 


124 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
piercingly above the Wolves" ''How-ooo-ooo!'* 
Then the Otters and the Foxes added their 
characteristic cries to the din, and away off in 
the shadows where the contagion of the noise 
penetrated, Indian Joe gave vent to a war- 
whoop of delight. 

'‘Much noise — sound good he muttered to 
himself. "Don’t know what all about. Never 
mind. Boys glad. See ’em go !” 

The whole troop, glad indeed to have a legi- 
timate excuse for lusty activity after the men- 
tal exercises of the evening, had jumped to 
their feet en masse, and, headed by the howling 
Wolves, were parading joyously around the 
campfire. 

Bud Morgan was borne on the shoulders of 
the leaders, and there was nothing to suggest 
the student of rocks and rivers and undulating 
hills in his happy abandon to the situation. 

In fact, the majority of the boys had already 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 125 


forgotten the contests in the temporary excite- 
ment and the uproar. 

Lieutenant Denmead, after exchanging a 
word and a good-humored smile with his as- 
sistant, hurried to his cabin, and returned a 
moment later with a small volume in his hand. 
Then, at his signal, Mr. Rawson lifted the 
camp bugle, which he had secured hastily, and 
blew the assembly call. 

At that, the boys, quite ready to quiet down 
again after their outburst of overflowing spir- 
its, dropped into line with the promptness of 
long practice and awaited their Scout Master's 
word. 

'‘Be seated. Scouts of Pioneer Camp," he di- 
rected, returning their salute and seating him- 
self on his favorite log. 'Tn the few minutes 
remaining before 'taps,' I wish to emphasize 
the meaning of the business and the fun of the 
evening. I am gratified by the interest you 
have shown in our field work and in these tests, 


126 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

but I am satisfied that we can add to the intro- 
ductory knowledge that we have gained a more 
practical and helpful course. 

**This is what I propose : First, I will give 
you two weeks of ‘summer school’ training in 
geology and surveying under the tutelage of a 
young man who is a thoroughly trained geolog- 
ical surveyor. He was recommended to me by 
my friend Mr. Brett of the B. N. and C. Rail- 
road. The young man, Ransom Thayer, is 
willing to come to us on one condition. He 
has been technically trained, and he insists 
upon strict attention to the matter in hand and 
strict school discipline in return for his serv- 
ices. He has arranged a schedule of hours 
both for camp study and recitation and for, 
practice in surveying, and has left ample time, 
also, for recreation, such as swimming and ball- 
playing. 

“His proposition appealed to me as being 
both generous and just, and I had confidence 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 127 


enough in the Scouts of Pioneer Camp to ac- 
cept it on the spot 

A spontaneous cheer burst from the boys at 
this point. 

“Well, tell me, do you like the idea?’' urged 
the Scout Master smilingly. 

“Now, boys, tell him!” cried Walter Os- 
borne, springing to his feet and facing the 
troop. 

“Let her out! NowT 

“Rah ! Rah ! Rah !” yelled the scouts, jump- 
ing to their feet. “Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Lieu-- 
tenant Denmeadf* 

''Kree-kree-eeer shrilled the Hawks. 

^'How-ooo-ooo ! Yap-yap-yap! Skee-eee- 
eeeT barked and squealed the others. 

As the Scout Master raised his hand, silence 
fell upon the company again. 

“The plan for the two weeks of study is 
only preliminary,” the lieutenant continued. 
“Following that, we will organize the patrols 


128 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

into four squads of geological surveyors. Each 
squad will be given two days to make an ac- 
curate geological survey of a section previously 
selected and surveyed by Mr. Thayer. The 
scouts will note its dimensions, the quality of 
its soil, the height of its hills, the extent of its 
valleys, the growth of its vegetation, its strati- 
fied zones, its mineral deposits, — in a word, 
whatever points Mr. Thayer shall designate to 
you in his course of study under the head of 
the 'geological survey,' is to be included in an 
accurate report, neatly recorded and finally 
submitted to Mr. Thayer for his marking. 

"And last of all a system of 'points' will be 
established for the course, by which the patrols 
may be credited for certain accomplishments 
in the line of this particular training, in addi- 
tion to the points won by the neatness and ac- 
curacy of the reports. The patrol winning the 
highest final rating will be given the title: Of- 
ficial Geological Surveyors to the Troop !" 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 129 

As the Scout Master made this elaborate 
announcement in his most grandiloquent man- 
ner, the boys responded laughingly, clapping 
their hands appreciatively, but uttering no 
word. 

''That is all for to-night, boys,'' resumed 
Lieutenant Denmead after a moment, "but it 
will give you food for thought and a subject 
for your dreams ! Details will be posted soon, 
and, meanwhile, let your enthusiasm grow. 

"This little book in my hand will have to keep 
its story to itself for to-night, as the hour is 
late; but to-morrow I will read to you a brief 
account of a national hero who found a knowl- 
edge of surveying a great help to him in his 
military capacity. Good night, boys." 

"Good night, sir !" came the hearty response. 


130 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER XL 

THE NEW PROJECT. 

'Well, how does it strike you, Spike, — this 
idea of a summer school?'' inquired Cooper 
Fennimore the next morning as the Foxes came 
back from their early dip in the lake. 

"Um, — well," replied Spike slowly, rubbing 
his chin as he had seen old men do when in 
deep thought, “how does it strike you?" 

“Ex-actly right, now that I've thought it all 
over," responded Cooper. “At first I was en- 
thusiastic because the Lieutenant was and be- 
cause the rest took it up like wild-fire. 

“Then, last night after the camp was quiet, 
I began to think it looked like all work and no 
play; like a pretty strenuous vacation after 
months of hard study, you know!" Cooper 
looked at Spike and gravely winked. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 131 

‘'Oh, yes, you old fraud!’' jeered Spike, pok- 
ing his chum in the ribs. ‘We all know that 
you are almost worn out with mental applica- 
tion!” 

“But, finally,” continued Cooper, doubling 
up slightly at the friendly nudge but giving no 
further attention to the interruption, “finally, I 
concluded that if my health could stand the 
strain, I would like nothing better than this 
nice stiff little course in ground work.” 

“ ‘Ground work,’ eh ? Look here. Cooper, it 
is too early in the day to attempt a pun.” 

“Pun? Not at all,” Cooper retorted. “Don’t 
you know my present ambition? To-day — 
whatever my aspiration may be to-morrow — 
to-day I mean to fit myself for architecture and 
landscape gardening. And when in the misty 
future you see the name of Architect Cooper 
Fennimore, Adviser in Extra-ordinary to the 
President, ” 


132 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


Cooper darted into the Fox-Otter cabin as 
Spike dashed at him again, and continued: 

then you will remember when you 

studied the ground work of his profession with 
himr 

Their conversation was resumed a little 
later, when, rubbed down, clothed, and neatly 
brushed, the two boys responded to the mess 
call. 

‘'But say. Cooper,'^ said Spike, “were you in 
earnest about liking the summer school scheme 
and wanting to be a landscape artist?” 

“I surely was, were, and am,” replied 
Cooper, as the boys slipped into their places. 
“Fve been watching my uncle-in-law build a 
house and lay out his grounds, and if I couldn’t 
hit on a better plan than his, Fd ” 

“Dig a hole, crawl in, and pull the hole after 
you?” prompted Spike as Cooper paused for a 
comparison. 

“Just about,” agreed the other; and then 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 133 

both boys found their nearest ambitions fully 
met by the camp cook's incomparable bacon and 
eggs. 

After breakfast the news was quickly cir- 
culated that no further plans were to be di- 
vulged until afternoon and that the boys were 
free to continue their baseball practice. 

Soon by twos and three and fours, with balls, 
bats, and gloves, the scouts drifted over to the 
diamond. 

'Tm mighty glad that you are in for all this 
study course that's coming, Ralph," said Tom 
Sherwood as they sauntered along. 

''So am I," responded Ralph promptly. "It 
is more than kind of Lieutenant Denmead to 
ask me to remain for it. I shan't feel so green 
when I go to the School of Mines, you know, 
either, for this Mr. Thayer is a graduate and 
I can learn a lot from him. Then it means so 
much to be with you fellows! It has been a 
lonely place on the farm sometimes !" 


134 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'T can believe that/' agreed Arthur Cam- 
eron, who had joined the boys and overheard 
their conversation. ''Just the few days I was 
out there showed me what it might be." 

^‘Come on, fellows!" urged Dick Bellamy, 
swinging two bats in large circles as though 
they were Indian clubs. “We're going to beat 
our best records to-day, you know 1" 

All this interested Ralph Kenyon immensely 
and for a few weeks his concern for his own 
personal affairs was merged with the pleasures 
and the novelty of the life in camp. Often he 
wished that he had more time to spend with 
these boys, who welcomed him to their fellow- 
ship, although he was not even a tenderfoot, 
with hearty good will and friendliness. What- 
ever Ralph did, work or play, he did with all 
his heart. He entered into the games and rec- 
reations “for all he was worth," and won the 
regard of his companions. 

His ability as a ballplayer was no less of a 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 135 

surprise to them than it was to himself, for he 
had not played ball since his junior year in 
high school. His pitching proved to be clever 
and varied, his delivery of the horsehide sphere 
being as good as Tom Sherwood^s — which is 
no faint' praise. 

Early that same afternoon the boys learned 
that the schedule promised by the Scout Mas- 
ter was posted on the wall of his cabin, and 
that Assistant Rawson had been dispatched to 
Oakvale for the supplies listed in Ransom 
Thayer's outline for study and practice. 

''The notice says that Mr. Thayer will begin 
work with us at nine o'clock sharp next Mon- 
day morning," announced Don Miller of the 
Foxes. 

He had already seen the bulletin and made 
some inquiries of Lieutenant Denmead, in or- 
der to coach his patrol more intelligently. 

"Are there any 'points' for knowledge of 
trees and plants?" asked Shorty McNeil. 


136 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'T didn’t read everything carefully, Shorty/’ 
replied Don, ''but I do remember the word 
'vegetation.’ Maybe that will cover your spe- 
cialty.” 

"I hope so,” was the earnest rejoinder. "I 
can’t do anything with the mathematical end 
of this stunt, I tell you right now. But leaves, 
and flowers, and different kinds of bark! — 
they are as easy to read as print I And I would 
like to bring in a point or two for our patrol.” 

At this moment Walter Osborne ap- 
proached, walking rapidly from the direction 
of headquarters. 

"Hullo, Don,” he called. "Have you seen 
the schedule? Great, isn’t it? Brings in about 
all our scoutcraft up to date!” 

Walter hurried on, scarcely waiting to hear 
Don’s reply in his eagerness to overtake Blake 
Merton. 

"I say, Blake,” he began enthusiastically on 
reaching the fellow-Hawk, "do you know that 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 137 
this geological survey is going to give us fine 
training in signaling? I hadn’t realized it be- 
fore, but maybe you have, because of your ex- 
perience over at Ralph’s.” 

^Yes, I was interested in the simple system 
the railroad men used,” Blake responded. ‘‘It 
is an eye and hand language worth learning.” 

“Well, I confess that I know nothing about 
it. And I didn’t pick up much from the work 
we had here while you were away. With all 
credit to the Lieutenant, he does not know the 
practical side of geological surveying, and 
while he interested us all, he did not give us the 
real stuff that we shall get with Mr. Thayer.” 

“True for you,” responded Blake. “All the 
fellows felt that way after the tests last night, 
I guess. Those questions showed them how 
few facts they had really learned. It was not 
hard for Bud and me, because we have both 
had experience before now.” 


138 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


Meanwhile Bud Morgan himself was in the 
midst of a group of eager Wolves. 

'You must coach us, Bud,'’ Arthur Cameron 
said. "We shall miss Hugh and Billy in this, 
but you must see that they hear a good report 
of us when it is over." 

"That's right," agreed the other boys. 

"Let's make Bud Morgan our patrol leader 
until Hugh comes back," cried little Jack Dur- 
ham, the recruit of last season. 

"All in favor ?" yelled Arthur. "Hands up !" 

Hands and voices rose together and a united 
'"How-ooo-ooor rent the air. 

"All right, fellows. I'll do my best," said Bud 
Morgan as the noise stopped. "I'll try to act 
in Hugh's place, just as Tom Sherwood is do- 
ing for Alec, if you will all stand by!" 

"We will," promised the boys. 

"Then listen I Mr. Thayer is going to put us 
through a big course in a little time. We shan't 
like all the work, perhaps, but we shall each 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 139 
like something, — for it touches so many things. 
There are the long tramps in the fresh air, the 
measuring of distances, the analyzing of the 
soil, the naming of the trees and plants, the lo- 
cating of mineral deposits, and the working out 
of problems.’’ 

Bud paused for breath, holding one hand 
poised with fingers outspread, just as he had 
been counting them off as so many points to 
note. 

‘‘Now, then,” he continued, “it’s up to us to 
listen and learn, — and to beat the other fel- 
lows to it !” 

''How-ooo-oooT came an approving chorus. 

At that moment a distant squealing told that 
the Otters were waxing enthusiastic, also. 
Down by the pier at the lakeside, Tom Sher- 
wood had gathered his patrol, — to which 
Ralph Kenyon had been added for the period of 
his visit. 

Tom had just been explaining some facts 


140 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


that he had learned while with the surveyors 
on Ralph’s farm, and even Buck Winter had 
shown a responsive interest. 

Dick Bellamy, as usual, was keenly alive to 
the prospects in store, foreseeing plenty of fun 
as well as work. 

'Til tell you one thing, fellows,” he began. 

"And that’s not two,” interrupted Sam Win- 
ter impudently. 

"Somebody, please put the lid on that young- 
ster a minute,” continued Dick, looking at Sam 
in well-assumed indignation. "As I was say- 
ing, — or about to say, — I have often wished 
that I knew more about the queer formations 
along the banks of rivers where I have gone 
on fishing trips. My father has always had a 
good deal to say about 'erosion,’ and 'glacial 
periods’ and 'stratification’ and 'natural boun- 
daries,’ and I shall feel mighty proud to go 
back home knowing a few of 'them things,’ as 
Injun Joe would say.” 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 141 


This was an unusually serious speech from 
the imaginative and sometimes irrepressible 
Dick, and the boys were correspondingly 
moved by it. 

“Oh, if it is like that,” acknowledged Sam 
Winter, in a different tone of voice than he had 
previously used, “we ’’ 

“We will all want to do our best,’’ finished 
his brother. “I have often wondered about 
the same things on my tramps after photo- 
graphs of animals. Fve come across lots of 
queer formations and odd rocks and natural 
caves and things."' 

As Buck ended his remarks a little lamely. 
Bud Morgan hastened to say, “You fellows 
have the idea now, — and mark my word: the 
Otters are going to win out !" 


142 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER XII. 

AN IIvIvUSTRIOUS ^xampi,^. 

That night the Scout Master was much 
gratified at the interest manifested by the boys 
as they assembled around the council fire. It 
was plain that they had all found 'Tood for 
thought'’ in what he had told them on the pre- 
vious evening. Their questions showed that 
they were anxious to understand how to make 
the most of the promised course, and that they 
realized it was bound to prove intensely inter- 
esting. 

^^Some of the boys asked me to remind you 
of the book you had last night," said Don Mil- 
ler, coming up to Lieutenant Denmead as the 
latter had a moment's freedom. 

‘'Surely! I must not forget my promise," 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 143 

responded the Scout Master. ‘‘See that the 
troop is assembled and ready, Miller, and I 
will secure the volume.’’ 

A few moments feter the erect, impressive 
figure of the lieutenant faced the waiting as- 
sembly of silent scouts. 

“Scouts of Pioneer Camp,” he said, “among 
the heroes of our nation is one whose name is 
particularly familiar to you and to whom pub- 
lic honor is frequently given. His character 
has borne the searchlight of investigation for 
more than a century, and as a man of fine 
moral fiber and a military leader of superior 
judgment, he still stands preeminent. I refer, 
boys, to General George Washington!” 

So impressive and so compelling were these 
words that instinctively the patrol leaders rose 
to their feet and stood at salute. In an instant 
every scout had joined them, and the Scout 
Master gravely returned the proffered cour- 
tesy. 


144 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


At a gesture the boys sat down again, and 
the lieutenant, sitting so that the fire light fell 
steadily on the open book in his hand, began 
to read: 

“ Ueorge Washington was not more than 
thirteen or fourteen years of age when he was 
encouraged to put his skill in mathematics into 
definite use by learning surveying. He applied 
himself so thoroughly that before long he sur- 
veyed the land about the schoolhouse which he 
attended. As he was the first pupil who had 
performed such a practical piece of work, his 
schoolmates were deeply interested in his ex- 
ploit. 

“ ‘A little later, when he had advanced so far 
in his study as to give him some idea of the 
proper use and handling of the chain and com- 
pass, he began to put his knowledge into prac- 
tice by taking surveys of the farms lying in the 
immediate neighborhood of his schoolhouse. 

‘‘ 'Assisted by his schoolmates, he would fol- 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 145 


low up and measure off the boundary lines be- 
tween the farms, such as fences, roads, and 
water courses ; then those dividing the different 
parts of the same farm; determining at the 
same time, with the help of his compass, their 
various courses, their crooks and windings, and 
the angles formed at their points of meeting or 
intersection. This done, he would make a map 
or drawing on paper of the land surveyed, 
whereon would be clearly traced the lines di- 
viding the different parts with the name and 
number of acres of each attached, while on the 
opposite page he would write down the long 
and difficult tables of figures by which these re- 
sults had been reached. All this he would exe- 
cute with as much neatness and accuracy as if 
it had been left with him to decide thereby 
some gravely disputed land claim.’ ” 

Lieutenant Denmead paused and glanced at 
the group of faces steadily turned toward him* 
Then he resumed : 


146 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'' 'The habit of mind thus cultivated con- 
tinued through life; so that, however compli- 
cated his tasks and overwhelming his cares, 
he found time to do everything, and to do it 
well. He had acquired the magic of method, 
which of itself works wonders. 

" 'When about sixteen years old, George 

Washington was asked by his friend. Lord 

f 

Fairfax, to make a survey of the latter's exten- 
sive lands, a vast territory lying between the 
Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers. He un- 
dertook the commission in the early spring, 
when the mountains were still white with snow 
and the streams had swollen intd torrents. He 
was clad in a buckskin hunting shirt, with leg- 
gings and moccasins of the same material, the 
simple garb of a backwoodsman, in perfect 
keeping with the wildness of the scenes he 
had to encounter. In his broad leathern belt 
were stuck a long hunting-knife and an Indian 
tomahawk. As he rode his horse, he frequently 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 147 

carried in his left hand his useful compass- 
staff. 

‘The enterprise upon which Washington 
had entered was one of romance, toil, and peril. 
It required the exercise of constant vigilance 
and sagacity. Here and there in the wilds ran 
narrow trails through dense thickets, over 
craggy hills, and along the banks of streams; 
but when they might lead the young surveyor 
into the camps of squatters or Indians, no one 
could tell’ 

As the Scout Master stopped again, he found 
the boys listening with breathless interest, and 
he guessed that many of them were following 
the explorations of Washington in imagina- 
tion. 

“This next paragraph,’’ he said, “reminds 
me of some of our own experiences on a hike. 
Listen: ‘My companions and I,’ wrote Wash- 
ington in his journal on April eighth of that 
year, ‘camped in the woods; and after we had 


148 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

pitched our tent and made a large fire we 
pulled out our knapsacks to recruit ourselves. 
Every one was his own cook. Our spits were 
forked sticks, our plates were large chips. As 
for dishes, we had none." 

‘'I shall read only two more brief para- 
graphs : 

‘Washington’s success as a surveyor for 
Lord Fairfax called the attention of the Vir- 
ginia authorities to him and to the unusual ac- 
curacy of his surveys. As a consequence, he 
was appointed public surveyor, deriving a dis- 
cipline therefrom which was of great service to 
him in his later career. By making him an able 
civil engineer, it laid the foundation of his fu- 
ture eminence in a military capacity. And by 
making him known to the principal landholders 
of the State, it led to his appointment, at the 
age of nineteen, to the office of adjutant-gen- 
eral, with the rank of major. This gave him 
the charge of a district, with the duty of exer- 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 149 

cising the militia, inspecting their arms, and 
superintending their discipline/ 

''That is all, boys,’’ concluded the Scout Mas- 
ter, rising and closing the volume. "But as we 
take up our course in surveying, with the ad- 
ditional interest of its geological significance, 
we may like to remember that we are follow- 
ing in the footsteps of no less a man than 
George Washington!” 


150 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


CHAPTER XIII. 
rut RtsvhT ot mt surveys . 

Promptly at nine o^clock on the following 
Monday morning, a clean-cut, well-knit, 
strong-featured young man stood before an 
eager-faced group of khaki-clad scouts in Pio- 
neer Camp. 

The businesslike attitude of the young in- 
structor, Ransom Thayer, was reflected in the 
appearance of the boys; and from the first 
crisp greeting of Mr. Thayer to his curt dis- 
missal an hour and a half later, the interest 
and attention of his auditors never wavered. 

His first lesson emphasized the historical 
phase of geology ; and as he talked and pointed 
here and there in illustration, it seemed to the 
boys that every stone and boulder and pebble 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 151 


and overhanging cliff responded with the story 
of its life. This crevice, that oblique angle, 
this smooth indentation, that rough mass, — 
each marking had its significant meaning to 
the enthusiastic leader. 

Walter Osborne said to Blake after ‘'schooF^ 
was over for the morning, ‘T have always felt 
as though the trees of the forest were alive, but 
now it seems to me that every rock is a breath* 
ing, changing, growing thing, too.'’ 

That afternoon Mr. Thayer led his troop 
afield and showed them other volumes of rock 
history, — ^how this proved that in ages past 
water had forced a channel through the hills ; 
how that gave evidences of internal disturb- 
ances, of molten masses, of slowly cooling and 
hardening structure. 

Many of the boys had had courses in text- 
book geology and had gathered ‘‘specimens," 
but this man made all these things new and 
wonderful and fascinatingly interesting. 


152 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

Day after day passed and still the enthusi- 
asm grew. ‘'Dry facts'' were absorbed uncon- 
sciously; angular diagrams of mathematical 
relations appeared on the big blackboard so 
clearly and concisely that even Shorty McNeil 
ceased to dread the problems ; hours were 
cheerfully spent at the big mess table in mak- 
ing out tabulated reports and drawing neat 
maps; and many more hours were spent with 
compasses and levels, telescopes and helio- 
tropes measuring and judging distances and 
noting results on the hills and by the lake near 
camp. 

“The man is a born leader and a born teach- 
er," said Lieutenant Denmead, commenting on 
Mr. Thayer one day. “We shall hear from him 
yet." 

All too soon the two weeks of study were 
over and the squad competitions were on. Then 
they, too, were completed and notice of the re- 
sults was eagerly awaited by the four patrols. 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 153 

At length the evening came when the an- 
nouncements were to be made public. Mr. 
Thayer had accepted an invitation to be pres- 
ent and to make the final report. 

Breathlessly the boys waited, the four lead- 
ers scarcely able to control their anxious inter- 
est, while the Scout Master, his assistant, and 
Mr. Thayer took their places within the circle 
near the council fire. 

At last! 

'‘To every one, congratulations ! To the Fox 
patrol, points for excellence in botanical knowl- 
edge. To the Wolf patrol, points for excellence 
in mathematical accuracy. To the Hawk pa- 
trol, points for superior general field work. To 
the Otter patrol and its leader, Tom Sherwood, 
the title and honor, 'Official Geological Survey- 
ors to the Troop’ I” 

:|c ^ * 

"News ! news !” cried Arthur Cameron, 
bursting in upon Ralph and Tom, who were 


154 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 

sitting in the boathouse on the shore of the 
lake. 

They had just come back from a canoe trip 
up the stream that flowed into Pioneer Lake, a 
few hours’ trip during which the Indian guide 
who had been sent with them had taught them 
how to navigate rapids in a canoe. Never had 
Ralph enjoyed more exciting sport than shoot- 
ing downstream in the swirling rapids and 
among the perilous rocks ! 

‘'News for me?” he asked, springing up 
alertly and seizing a letter Arthur handed to 
him. He broke the seal, tore open the envel- 
ope, and unfolded a letter bearing the heading 
of the B. N. and C. Railroad. “Oh, Tom, lis- 
ten to this !” 

“Mr. Ralph Ke:nyon, 

“Dear Sir: Owing to the recommendations 
of our official surveyors, we are prepared to 
make you a fair offer for the northwest quar- 
ter section of your property, to be utilized in 
laying a branch line of the B. N. and C. Will 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 155 


you kindly authorize your attorney to confer 
with us upon this matter, at your earliest con- 
venience ? 

'Yours very truly, 

"Ne:lson R. Si.ate:r, 
"Atty. B. N. & C. R. R/^ 

Words cannot describe Ralph's rejoicing at 
this news. Vague as it was, merely suggesting, 
not stating any terms, he felt that it was the 
dawn of new hopes, a stepping-stone on the 
path of his long-cherished ambition. 

Requesting Tom and Arthur to say nothing 
about it at present, he hurried to the Scout 
Master's cabin or office and confided the whole 
scheme to Denmead, who straightway drew 
him into a long, serious, business-like discus- 
sion of the prospect, giving him an abundance 
of good sound advice. 

"How can I ever thank you, sir, for all your 
kindness in bringing me this good luck?" Ralph 
asked again and again, before he started for 
home. 


156 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


distinguishing yourself as a student in 
the School of Mines and by becoming, in due 
time, an efficient, broad-minded leader in your 
scientific profession,’’ was Denmead’s only an- 
swer. “The little I’ve done for you, my boy, 
is too slight to merit thanks ; but the work you 
may undertake is vastly important, and I want 
you to make a great success.” 

He shook Ralph’s hand, laying the other on 
the lad’s broad shoulder. 

“Good-bye, for the present, Ralph,” he 
added. “Let me know if there’s anything I 
can do for you hereafter.” 

“I — I will, sir,” stammered Ralph, swallow- 
ing hard. “Thanks ever so much !” 

He turned to go, for the launch was waiting 
at the camp’s pier to take him down the lake, 
where Tom Walsh would meet him with his 
wagon and drive him home. 

“I must say good-bye to the boys now,” he 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 157 
added in a tone of regret. 'IVe had the time 
of my life here, sir, and I think camp is great V* 

‘‘One moment, Ralph. I believe Rawson has 
some even better news for you.'’ 

Rawson had entered and was standing in the 
doorway. 

“Yes, I have,” he replied, smiling. “I kept it 
from you until the last minute, because it’s so 
good it won’t spoil ! Ralph, in our surveys we 
found abundant signs of iron deposits on your 
property. These have been further investi- 
gated during your visit here. Beyond a doubt 
there are undeveloped mines on your land, 
boy!” 

“Then — then father’s dream — it may come 
true ! He always said that, always believed it I 
And now — now ” 

“Your lawyer will explain to you the terms 
of your father’s will in case a mining company 
should be organized,” continued Denmead. 


158 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 


'‘Of course, I don’t know what they are, but I 
assume that when you reach your majority 
you’ll be the chief owner of any mine on your 
land, and a director in the company. Success 
to the future, Ralph ! May health and wealth 
and happiness be yours !” 

With a sudden boyish impulse, Ralph gave 
both Scout Master Denmead and George Raw- 
son a bear-hug of sheer joy, and then he ran 
out to bid his other friends good-bye. Pres- 
ently he was in the launch, gliding swiftly 
across the lake, his weeks at Pioneer Camp a 
memory that would linger with him always. 

The events already recorded took place in the 
first half of the summer. Later, the regular 
routine of camp life was followed. No week 
was allowed to pass without some contest in 
strength, skill, or endurance. Now it was the 
Signalers’ Game, in which the troop was split 


THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 159 


up into three divisions : the enemy, the defend- 
ers and the attackers. Again it was a stalking 
game, which tested the cleverness of the boys 
in reading signs and following trails. Often, 
too, there were tests in water polo, in spearing 
the sturgeon and in swimming, diving, and 
paddling. 

More than once Indian Joe was called upon 
to guide the boys on some long hike, lasting 
several days. At these times, the scouts had 
rigid training in scaling cliffs, fording streams, 
locating points of the compass, selecting camp 
sites, making tents, building bonfires, cooking 
hasty meals, — in the thousand and one details 
of the woodsman's life. 

All these experiences developed a strong, 
healthy, happy crowd of boys, each one self-re- 
liant and resourceful; and before the end of 
the summer. Lieutenant Denmead and his as- 
sistant felt that they had every reason to be 
proud of the scouts of Pioneer Camp. Some of 


160 THE BOY SCOUTS OF 
the boys, — like Hugh and Billy and Alec, — 
who had been prominent in the troop activities 
in previous seasons, were increasingly missed. 

Where they were during the late spring and 
early summer months is revealed in another 
story of this series, entitled ‘'The Boy Scouts 
of the Life Saving Crew.'' 


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